making else-where this sinner worse than the Infidell And the old vulgar can giue no worse terme to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he findes it yea to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebels themselues What doth this brand to a Church not Christian onely though you denie it but famous Of whom is truly verified after all your spleene that which the Spirit writes to the Angell of Ephesus Laborasti non Defecisti Say if you can what Article of the Christian and Apostolike faith haue we renounced What Heresie maintaine we Wherein haue we runne from the Tents of Christ What hold we that may not stand with life in Christ and saluation We challenge all men and Deuils in this point for our innocence Distinguish for starke shame of so foule a word or which is better eat it whole and let not this blemish be left vpon your soule and name in the Records of God and the world that you once said of a Church too good for yours Drencht in Apostasie If wee crie Peace whiles you crie Apostasie surely we flatter whiles you raile betwixt these two dangerous extremes we know an wholsome meane so to approue that we foster not securitie so to censure that we neither reuile nor separate and in one word to doe that which your Pastor could exhort the Separators from your Separation for euen this Schisme hath Schismes If we should mislike yet to rest in our differences of iudgement and notwithstanding peaceably to continue with the Church Had you taken this course you should neither haue needed to expect our pittie nor to complaine of our crueltie Surely whether our loue be cruell or not your hatred is whereof take heed lest you heare from old IACOB Cursed bee their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell How can you expect compassion when you breath fire and write gall Neuer mention the fury of others indignation till the venomous and desperate writings of Barrow and Greenwood be either worne out with time or by the Thunderbolts of your not rare censures be strucke downe to Hell whence their maliciousnesse came I forbeare to recapitulate how much rather had I helpe to burie than to reuiue such vnchristian exprobrations SEP The first action laid against vs is of vnnaturalnesse and ingratitude towards our Mother the Church of England for our causelesse separation from her to which vniust accusation and triuiall querimonie our most iust defence hath beene and is that to our knowledge wee haue done her no wrong we doe freely and with all thankfulnesse acknowledge euery good thing shee hath and which our selues haue there receiued SECTION XIIII INGRATITVDE and vnnaturalnesse to your mother is obiected The Separatists acknowledgements of the graces of the Church of England in that you flie from her yea now woe is me that you spet in her face and marke her for an Harlot Would God the accusation were as far from being iust as from being triuiall Yet perhaps you intend it not in the lightnesse of this charge but the commonnesse you haue caused me to smart for my charitie yet I forbeare it not What is your defence That you haue done her no wrong to your knowledge Modestly spoken that doubtfully we know your wrong but we know not your knowledge it is well if your wrong bee not wilfull an ignorant wrong is both in more hope of amends and of mercie But is not this caution added rather for that you thinke no hard measure can possibly be a wrong to so vile a Church I aske and would bee denied No you doe freely and with all thankfulnes acknowledge euery good thing shee hath Whatsoeuer you doe to vs I will not any more in fauour of you wilfully wrong my selfe you haue bidden me now to take you as a complete Separatist and speake this for your selfe and yours Let the Reader now iudge whether the wrong of your Sect be wilfull and acknowledgment of our good H. Barr. Praef. to the separ defended Causes of separ def p. 12. Confer with Doctor Andr. free and thankfull Your first false-named Martyr shall giue the first witnesse of the titles of our Church Who saith he that were not drunke and intoxicate with the Whores Cup could affirme this confuse Babel these cages of vncleane Birds these Prisons of foule and hatefull Spirits to be the Spouse of Christ And else-where he calls the people of our Church Goats and Swine Is this any wrong to your knowledge The same Author They haue not saith he in their Churches any one thing in their practise proceedings not one pin naile or hooke according to the true patterne Pref. to separ def Do you not now freely and thankfully acknowledge our Churches good things What is more ordinarie with him and his brother in euill Iohn Greenwood than to call our Ministers Baals Priests Cainites the marked seruants of Antichrist Sellers of the Whores wares Worshippers of the Beast Is this yet any wrong to your knowledge Pastor Iohnson sticks not to say that the Ministerie Worship of the Church of England were taken out of the Whores Cup Gyff refuted touch Donat. Obseruat of M. H. Bar. p. 239. Fr. Iohns Reason 9. against M. Iac. p. 74. Iohns against M. Iac. Excep 3. Nota Bene. and plainly stiles our Church as which of you doe not Daughter of the great Babylon that mother of Whoredomes and abominations of the earth yet more That Hierarchie Worship Constitution and Gouernment which they professe and practise being directly Antichristian do vtterly destroy true Christianity so as their people and Churches cannot in that estate be iudged true Christians Do you not now freely and thankfully acknowledge our good things What can any Deuill of Hell say worse against vs than this That we are no Christians Or what good can there be in vs if no true Christianitie If we denied euery Article of the Christian Creed if we were Mahumetans as your good Pastor sticks not to compare vs if the most damned Heretiques vnder Heauen Ibid. what could he say but no Christians Your Teacher and Pastor which is a wonder agree For your Doctor Ainsworth makes this one head of his poysonous Counterpoyson that Christ is not the Head Mediator Counterpoys p. 127. 131. Prophet Priest King of the Church of England You their Disciple are not yet promoted to this height of immodestie yet what are your good things Euen to you we are Apostates Traytors Rebels Babylonish this is well for a Learner Hereafter if you will heare me keepe our good things to your selfe and report our euill Yea that your vncharitablenesse may be aboue all examples monstrous You do not onely denie vs any interest in the Church of Christ but exclude vs what you may from all hope and possibilitie of attaining the honor of Christendome For when a godly Minister protested to Master Barrow Barr. Conference with M. Sperin as Barr. himselfe hath
not to eat when they are come Compelled not by perswasions for these were the first inuitations therefore by further meanes Though this conceit hath no place with vs where men are vrged not to receiue a new faith but to performe the old to abandon that wicked Idolatry which had defiled them and to entertaine but that truth which the very power of their Baptisme challenged at their hand But this was the old song of the Donatists Farre bee it from our conscience to compell any man to the faith If God did not draw vs and by a sweet violence bend our wils to his when should wee follow him Either you haue not read or not cared for the practise of the ancient Church and Augustines resolution concerning the sharp penalties imposed vpon the Donatists would God none of your kindred in his time with his excellent defences of these proceedings SECT XI BVT tell vs then what should haue beene done The Gospell should haue beene euery where preached All conuerts should haue beene singled out Constitution of the Church of England Barrow and Greenew passim and haue giuen a voluntary and particular confession of their Faith and Repentance I answer you The Gospell was long and worthily preached in the daies of King Edward enough to yeeld both Martyrs to the stake and Professors to the succeeding times Were their holy Sermons their learned writings and their precious bloud which was no lesse vocall of no force Afterwards in the beginning of Famous Queene Elizabeths reparation what confluence was there of zealous Confessors returning now from their late exile How painfully and diuinely did they labour in this Vineyard of God How did they with their many holy Partners which had shrowded themselues during that storme of persecution in a dangerous secrecie spread themselues ouer this Land and each-where drew stockes of hearers to them and with them Is all this nothing to their ingratefull Posteritie If you murmure that there were no more take heed lest you forget there were so many for vs we doe seriously blesse God for these and triumph in them All this premised now comes a Christian Edict from the State that euery man shall yeeld obedience to this Truth wherein they had beene thus instructed It was performed by the most whose submission what was it but an actuall profession of their faith and repentance And since such was their face who dares iudge of their hearts More than this if euer can be shewed absolutely necessary in such a State of the Church to the very constitution and repaired being thereof I doe here vow neuer to take the Church of England for my Mother Wee know and grieue to see how scornfully your whole Sect H. Answ Coūterp and amongst the rest your resolute Doctor turnes ouer these gracious entrances proceedings of these two Royall and blessed Reformers and whom should hee finde to raise his scoffes vpon but that Saint-like Historian M. Fox Act. Monu Edit 5. p. 1180. Now saies Master Fox a new face of things began to appeare as it were in a Stage new Players comming in the old thrust out Now saith your Doctors Comment new Bishops came in Counterp 226. as Players vpon the old stage of the Popish Church as if the Church were no whit altered but the men Shall we say this is too much malice or too little wit and conscience Euen in the Lord Protectors daies that holy man reports that after the Scriptures restored and Masses abolished greater things followed these softer beginnings in the reformation of the Churches P. Martyr P. Fagius Bucer c. Learned and godly Diuines were called for from forraine parts a separation was made though not so much willing as wilfull of open and manifest Aduersaries from Professors whether true or dissembled Commissioners were appointed to visit euery seuerall Diocesse Euery Bench of them had seuerall godly and learned Preachers to instruct the people in the truth and to disswade them from Idolatry and Superstition The Popes Supremacy not thrust but taught downe All wil-worship whatsoeuer oppugned by publike Sermons Images destroyed Pilgrimages forbidden the Sacraments inioyned to be reuerently and holily ministred Ecclesiasticall persons reformed in life in Doctrine Processions laid downe Presence and attendance vpon Gods word commanded the holy expending of Sabbath daies appointed due preparation to Gods table called for set times of teaching inioyned to Bishops and other Ministers all Shrines and Monuments of Idolatry required to bee vtterly taken from publike and priuate houses All this before his Parliament By that Six Articles 1547. Pag. 1182. Col. 2.60 all bloody lawes against Gods truth were repealed zealous Preachers encouraged so as saith that worthy Historian God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified What need I goe further than this first yeere Heare this and be ashamed and assure your selues that no man can euer reade those holy Monuments of the Church but must needs spet at your separation After that sweet and hopefull Prince what his Renowned Sister Queene ELIzABETH did the present times doe speake and the future shall speake when all these Murmurers shall sleepe in the dust The publike Disputations zealous preachings restaurations of banished Religion and men Extirpations of Idolatry Christian Lawes wise and holy proceedings and renewed couenants with God are still fresh in the memories of some and in the eares of all so as all the World will iustly say you haue lost shame with Truth in denying it Yea to fetch the matter yet further If the Reader shall looke backe to the dayes of their puissant Father King HENRY the Eighth Act Monu p. 999. 1000. he cannot but acknowledge especially during the time of Queene ANNE and before those six bloudie Articles a true face of a Church though ouer-spred with some Morphue of corruptions and some commendable forwardnesse of Reformation for both the Popes Supremacie was abrogated the true Doctrine of Iustification commonly taught confidence in Saints vntaught the vanity of Pardons declared worship of Images and Pilgrimages forbidden learned and godly Ministers required their absences mis-demeanors inhibited the Scriptures translated publikely and priuately inioyned to be read and receiued the Word of God commanded to be sincerely and carefully preached Act. Monu Edit 5. p. 1002. and to all this Holy Master Fox addeth for my conclusion such a vigilant care was then in the King and his Councell how by all wayes and meanes to redresse Religion to reforme errours to correct corrupt customes to helpe ignorance and to reduce the mis-leading of Christs Flocke drowned in blind Poperie Superstitious Customes and Idolatry to some better forme of Reformation whereunto he prouided not onely these Articles Barr. against Gyff Conference with Sperin and Master Egerton Greenw Barr. Arg. to Master Cartwr Master Trauers Master Clark Browne Reformation without tarrying Precepts Iniunctions aboue specified to informe the rude people but
also procured the Bishops to helpe forward the same cause of decayed Doctrine with their diligent preaching and teaching of the people Goe now and say that suddenly in one day by Queene Elizabeths Trumpet or by the sound of a Bell in the name of Antichrist all were called to the Church Goe say with your Patriarch that we erect Religions by Proclamations and Parliaments Vpon these premises I dare conclude and doubt not to maintaine against all Separatists in the World that England to goe no higher had in the dayes of King Henry the Eighth a true visible Church of God and so by consequent their succeeding seed was by true Baptisme iustly admitted into the bosome thereof and therefore that euen of them without any further profession Gods Church was truly constituted If you shall say that the following idolatry of some of them in Queene Maries daies excluded them Consider how hard it wil be to proue that Gods couenant with any people is presently disanulled by the sinnes of the most whether of ignorance or weaknesse and if they had herein renounced God yet that God also mutually renounced them To shut vp your Constitution then Master Smith against R. Clifton Principl and Infer pag. 11. There is no remedie Either you must goe forward to Anabaptisme or come backe to vs. All your Rabbines cannot answer that charge of your rebaptized brother If we be a true Church you must returne if wee be not as a false Church is no Church of God you must rebaptize If our Baptisme bee good then is our constitution good Thus your owne Principles teach The outward part of a true visible Church is a Vow Promise Oath or Couenant betwixt God and the Saints Now I aske Is this made by vs in Baptisme or no If it be then we haue by your confession for so much as is outwardly required a true visible Church so your separation is vniust If it be not then you must rebaptize for the first Baptisme is a nullitie and if ours be not you were neuer thereby as yet entred into any visible Church SEP To the title of a Ring-leader wherewith it pleaseth this Pistler to stile me I answer that if the thing I haue done bee good it is good and commendable to haue beene forward in it if it bee euill let it be reproued by the light of Gods Word and that God to whom I haue done that I haue done will I doubt not giue me both to see and to heale mine errour by speedie Repentance if I haue fled away on foot I shall returne on Horse-backe But as I durst neuer set foot into this way but vpon a most sound and vnresistable conuiction of Conscience by the Word of God as I was perswaded so must my retiring bee wrought by more solid reasons from the same word than are to be found in a thousand such prettie Pamphlets and formall flourishes as this is SECTION XII AS For the title of Ring-leader wherewith I stiled this Pamphleter The answerers title if I haue giuen him too much honor in his Sect I am sorry Perhaps I should haue put him pardon an homely but in this sense not vnusuall word in the taile of this Traine Perhaps I should haue endorsed my Letter to Master Smith and his shadow So I perceiue he was Whatsoeuer whether he leade or follow God meets with him If he leade Behold Ier. 13.32 I will come against them that prophesie false dreames saith the Lord and doe tell them and cense my people to erre by their lyes If he come hehinde Thou shalt not follow a multitude in euill saith God If either or both or neither If hee will goe alone Woe vnto the foolish Prophets saith the Lord which follow their owne Spirits Ezech. 13.2 and haue seene nothing Howsoeuer your euill shall be reproued by the light of Gods word Your coniunction I cannot promise your reproofe I dare If thereupon you finde grace to see and heale your errours we should with all brotherly humblenesse attend on foot vpon your returne on Horse-backe but if the sway of your mis-resolued conscience be headie and vnresistable and your retiring hopelesse these not solide reasons these prettie Pamphlets these formall flourishes shall one day be fearefull and material euidences against you before that awefull Iudge which hath alreadie said Pro. 19.21 That iudgements are prepared for the Scorners and stripes for the backe of Fooles SEP Your pittying of vs and sorrowing for vs especially for the wrong done by vs were in you commendable affections if by vs iustly occasioned but if your Church be deeply drencht in Apostasie and you cry Peace Peace when suddaine and certaine desolation is at hand it is you that doe wrong though you make the complaint and so being cruell towards your selues and your own whom you flatter you cannot be truly pittifull towards others whom you bewaile But I will not discourage you in this affection lest we finde few in the same fault the most in stead of pittie and compassion affording vs nothing but furie and indignation SECTION XIII I PROFESSED to bestow pittie and sorrow vpon you and your wrong The Apostasie of the Church of England You entertaine both harshly and with a churlish repulse What should a man doe with such dispositions Let him stroke them on the backe they snarle at him and shew their teeth Let him shew them a Cudgell they flie in his face You allow not our actions and returne our wrong Ours is both the iniurie and complaint How can this bee You are the Agents we sit still and suffer in this rent Yet since the cause makes the Schisme let vs inquire not whose the action is but whos 's the desert Our Church is deepe drencht in Apostasie and we cry Peace Peace No lesse than a whole Church at once and that not sprinkled or wetshod but drencht in apostasie What did wee fall off from you or you from vs Tell me were we euer the true Church of God and were we then yours We cannot fall vnlesse we once stood Was your Church before this Apostasie Shew vs your Ancestors in opinion Name me but one that euer taught as you doe and I vow to separate Was it not Then we fell not from you Euery Apostasie of the Church must needs be from the true Church A true Church and not yours And yet can there be but one true See now whether in branding vs with Apostasie you haue not proued yours to be no true Church Still I am ignorant A Treatise of the Ministery of England against M. H. pag. 125. Queene Maries dayes you say had a true Church which separated from Poperie chose them Ministers serued God holily from thence was our Apostasie But were not the same also for the most part Christians in King Edwards dayes Did they then in that confused allowance of the Gospell separate Or I pray you were Cranmer Latimer Ridley Hooper and the rest
parts of that Church or no Was there any other ordination of Ministers than from them Reiect these and all the world will hisse at you Receiue them and where is our Apostasie What Antichristianisme haue we wherof these were freed But you leape backe if I vrge you farre from hence to the Apostles times to fetch our once true Church from farre that it might be deare You shall not carue for vs we like not these bold ouerleapes of so many Centuries I speake boldly you dare not stand to the triall of any Church since theirs Now I heare your Doctor say this Challenge fauours of Rome H. Answorth in his fore-speech to his Count. Inqu into Wh. Tertul. l. de Ora. Tertul. lib. de Praescript So. de Virginib Veland That no continuance of time can preiudice Truth Si me reprehendas errantem patere me quaeso errare cum talibus Aug. Hier. Fr. Iohnson in his Answ to T. Wh. pag. 26. Ans against Brough p. 17. These Dutch churches offend not only in practicall disorders but in their Constitution Gouernment Worship c. Troubl and Excom at Amsterdam p. 10. Browne charged with it by Barr. Letter to Master Egerton G. Iohnson ibid. pag. 194. Fr. Iohns Inqui. Act. 15.38 Departing that is not going with them Barr. pref to the Separation defend In his Obseruations p. 251. We doe not there condemne the Parish-Assemblies as separated from Christ but proue them not as yet gathered to Christ So Confe with Sperin p. 9. Fr. Iohnsons Inquiry pag. 36. H. Barr. Obseruation 242. Antiquitie is with you a Popish plea we haue willingly taken vp our Aduersaries at this by pretence their owne weapon You debarre it in the conscience of your own nouell singularitie Yet your Pastor can be content to make vse of Tertullian alone against all Fathers That such things are iustly to be charged with vanitie as are done without any precept either of the Lord or of the Apostles And the Apostles did faithfully deliuer to the Nations the Discipline they receiued of Christ which we must beleeue to be the tumultuary Discipline of the refined housefull at Amsterdam What all in all Ages and places till now Apostates Say if you can that those famous Churches wherein Cyprian Athanasius Ambrose Hierome Austen Chrysostome and the rest of those blessed Lights liued were lesse deepe in this Apostasie than ours O Apostaticall Fathers that separated not yea say if you dare that other reformed Churches are not ouer the Ankles with vs in this Apostasie What hard news is this to vs when as your Oracle dare say not much lesse of the reformed Churches of Netherlands with whom you liue Thus he writes For not hearing of them in other Congregations in these Countries this I answer That seeing by the mercy of God wee haue seene and forsaken the corruptions yet remaining in the publike Ministration and condition of these Churches if they bee all like to these of this Cittie we cannot therefore partake with them in such case without declining and Apostasie from the truth which we haue our selues alreadie receiued and professed See here to partake with them in Gods seruice is Apostasie If so in the accessories Alas what crime is in the principall It were but Apostasie to heare an English sermon a Dutch is no lesse Wo is you that you dwell still in Meshech Good men it were not more happie for you than the Church that you were well in Heauen No lesse than Apostasie Let no Reader be appalled at so fearefull a word this is one of the termes of Art familiar to this way Finde but any one page of a Dutch printed Volume without Apostasie Excommunication Commingling Constitution and suspect it not theirs Heresie is not more frequent at Rome than Apostasie at Amsterdam nor Indulgences more ordinary there than here Excommunications Common vse makes terrible things easie Their owne Master St. for holding with the Dutch Baptisme and Read-prayers is acknowledged to be cast out for an Apostate yea their Doctor Master Answorth is noted with this marke from themselues There is much latitude as happie is in their Apostasie For when Stanshal Mercer and Iacob Iohnson were to be chosen Officers in their Church and exception was taken by some at their Apostasie answer was made It was not such Apostasie as debarred them from Office it was but a slip Iohn Marke whether as Isichius and Theophylact thinke the blessed Euangelist or some other holy Minister is by the whole Parlour at Amsterdam branded with this lame Apostasie who departed indeed but from Paul in his iourney not from Christ in his faith and therefore his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.38 why doe we thinke much to drinke of an Euangelists Cup Yet let this ignorant Epistler teach his censorious Answerer one point of his own that is the Separatists skill and tell him that he obiects two crimes to one poore Church which are incompatible want of Constitution and Apostasie Thus writes your Master of vs If it were admitted which can neuer be proued that they sometimes had beene true established Churches Loe here we neuer had true Constitution therefore we are not capable of Apostasie If we once had it and so were true Churches heare what your Pastor saith As Christ giueth to all true Churches their being so we must leaue it vnto him to take it away when and as he pleaseth And therefore since he hath not remoued his Candlesticke nor taken away his Kingdome in spight of all obiected Apostasies wee still continue so and by consequent your separation vpon this ground is most vniust No faults disanull the being of a Church vntil contempt of Gods Word be added therunto after due coÌ„uiction The faults errors of a Church may be seuerely reproued conuinced according to the qualitie therof and yet the Church not be condemned N. B. Iob 24.19 Vulg. Edit Cypr. Epist ad Cornel. Non est maius peccatum quà m apostatare à Deo Aug. in Psal 18. Prou. 6.12 Iob. 3â— 18 Ezec. 2.3 Apocal. 2.3 Thou hast laboured and not giuen in Tertul. de Pat. Si hominibus placetur Dominus offenditur si vero illud eniâ—mur laboramus vt possimus Deo placere conuitia maledicta debemus humana contemnere Confessed by M. Iohn loc seq Inquir of Th. White pag. 65. Gen. 49.7 Cypr. de simplic prael Quid facit in corde Christiano Luporum seritas Caenum rabies Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 9. Qualia solet eructare turgens indigesta discordia An Apostate had wont to bee the fearefull surname of damned Iulian Tertus was an easie accuser to whom yet we may say with Elihu Nâ—â— dicis Regi Apostata Behold now so many Apostataes as men Holy Cyprian describes him by forsaking Christs colours and taking vp Armes for Gentilisme in life or heresie in iudgement And Augustine tells vs there cannot be a greater sinne than Apostasie
written p. 9 the truth of his Ministerie vpon the approbation also of his people he receiued this answer from him Though you had such allowance it could nothing auaile but rather ouerthrow your Ministerie they being as yet vngathered to Christ and therefore neither may not in this estate chuse them a Minister nor any exercise a Ministerie vnto them without hainous sacrilege O desperate iudgment we neither are Christians nor can be No Christianitie without Faith no Faith without the Ministerie of the Word Fr. Iohns seuen Reas against Iac. p. 46. G. Iohns Pref. to the Pastor no Word to vs without Sacrilege What are we that the very offer of bringing vs to God should bee criminall These are your acknowledgements of our good who haue learned of your Pastor to kisse and kill all at once to blesse and curse with one breath your mercies are cruell SECTION XV. The vnnaturalnesse of some principal Separatists Ruffin l. 2. Eccles Hist c. 3. Aug. ep Posid in vita Aug. BVT who can wonder at your vnnaturalnesse to the Church that heares what measure you mete to your owne Error is commonly ioyned with crueltie The outragious demenors of the Circumcelliones in Augustines time and more than barbarous tyrannie of the Arrians before him are well knowne by all Histories and not enough by any God forbid that I should compare you to these Heare rather of Nonatus the father of a not vnlike Sect of whom Cyprian reports Euseb Hist Eccl. Dâ—mnis grauissimis caedibus afficiebant armati diuersis telis Socrat. l. 2. c. 22. 30. Cyprian l. 2. epist 8. Nouati pater in vicâ— fame mortuus nec postea ab ille sepultus Sic Optat. lib. 1. Purpurius Donatista occidit seroris filios c. that hee would neither bestow bread on his father aliue nor burial on him dead but suffered him both to starue and stinke in the street and for his wife lest he should be mercifull to any he spurned her with his heele and slew his owne childe in her body What neede I seeke so farre I grieue to thinke and report that your owne Pastor hath paralleld this cruelty His owne brother which is no lesse sauage though one of your Sect is the publike accuser and condemner of him in this crime to all the World who after a pitifull relation of his eight yeeres quarrells with him and foure yeeres Excommunication in his Epistle before a large Volume to this purpose writes thus After all these hath not our kinde carefull and olde Father come a long iourney to make Peace Hath he not laboured with you the Elders and the Church to bring you to peace Hath he not vsed the helpe and counsell of the Reformed Churches herein Yet will you not be reclaimed but adding that sinne aboue all * * G. Iohns Discourse of troubles excommunications at Amsterdam printed 1603. Ibid. p. 5. haue also monstrously excommunicated your Father the Peace-seeker c. And straight How oft desired he you as if hee had beene the sonne and you the father euen with teares that you would repent In a word how came He and I to your doore shewing you that it might be vpon his departing you should see his face no more c. Yet you forced him by your ill dealing still to leaue vpon you his Curse and all the Curses written in Gods Booke against vnthankfull and disobedient children Thus farr a brother concerning a brother against father and brother Other strangely-vnkinde vsages of both I had rather leaue to the discouery of Master White and this miserable Plaintife Discouery of Brownisme Vid. G. Iohns Booke who haue written enough to make an enemie ashamed But wherevpon was all this fearefull broyle in a pure Church For nothing but a little lace and Whale-bone in his wiues sleeue The Troiane war could not bee slandered with so weighty a beginning As for your Elder Daniel Studly whom your Pastor so much extolleth if Master Whites Apostasie may be your shift against his Relation Inq into Th. Whites Discou let him speake who should haue beene a Fellow-Elder with him banished for your truth though eiected by your censure Marke saith G. Iohns of this Studly how the Lord hath iudged him with vnnaturalnesse to his owne children suffering them to lye at other mens feet and hang on other mens hands Same Epist 15. whiles he his wife and her daughter fared daintily and went prankingly in apparell They say Filia Sponsae Mihi accusatio etiam vera contra fratrem displacet Hieron aduersus Ruffin euen in this place of banishment It is no ioy to me to blazon these or your other sins would God they were fewer and lesse in vs all Onely it was fit the World should know as how vndutifull you are to your common Parent so that Father Brother Children beare part with your Mother in these your cruelties SEP The superabundant grace of God couering passing by the manifold enormities in that Church wherewith these good things are inseparably commingled and wherein we also through ignorance and infirmity were inwrapped But what then should we still haue continued in sinne that grace might haue abounded If God haue caused a further truth like a light in a darke place to shine in our hearts should we still haue mingled that light with darknesse contrary to the Lords owne practise Genes 1.4 and expresse precept 2 Cor. 6.14 What the Separatists thinke themselues beholden to the Church of England for Bar. Exam. before the Archbishop and L. Anderson Browne state of Christians p. 39 Qui non habet quod dei quâ—â— dâ— dei vox Donat Opt. lib. 1. SECTION XVI IF then such be the good things of our Church What good can you acknowledge to haue receiued from her Nothing giues what it hath not A Baptisme perhaps Alas but no true Sacrament you say yea the seale of gracelesnes and mischiefe As little are you beholden to the Church for that as the Church to you for your good acceptation Why are you not rebaptized You that cannot abide a false Church why doe you content your selues with a false Sacrament especially since our Church being not yet gathered to Christ is no Church and therefore her baptisme a nullitie What else doe you owe to the liberality of this Step-dame You are close your Pastor is lauish for you both who thus speaks of himselfe and you and vs I confesse that whiles I was Minister in your Church of EnglaÌ„d Bar. supra Fr. Iohn against M. Iacob p. 41. Exc. 2. I stood in an Antichristian estate yet doubt I not but euen then being of the Elect of God I was partaker through faith of the mercy of God in Christ to saluation but as for you Ma. IACOB his fellow-Christians whiles you thus remaine you cannot in that estate approue your selues to haue the promise of saluation Behold here the Church of England gaue you but
where must at once vtterly fall off from that Church where that Man of Sinne sitteth His fall depends on the fall of others or rather their rising from vnder him If neither of these must be sudden why is your haste But this must not be yet ought as there must be heresies yet there ought not It is one thing what God hath secretly decreed another what must be desired of vs If we could pull that Harlot from her seat and put her to Iesabels death it were happy Haue wee not endeuored it What speake you of the highest Towers and strongest pillars or tottering remainders of Babylon wee shew you all her roofes bare her walles razed her vaults digged vp her Monuments defaced her Altars sacrificed to desolation Shortly all her buildings demolished not a stone vpon a stone saue in rude heapes to tell that here once was Babylon Your strife goes about to build againe that her tower of confusion God diuides your languages It will be well if yet you build not more than we haue reserued SEP You haue renounced many false doctrines in Poperie and in their places embraced the truth But what if this truth be taught vnder the same hatefull Prelacie in the same deuised office of Ministerie and confused communion of the prophane multitude and that mingled with many errors SECTION XXVI THe maine grounds of Separation YOu will now bee free both in your profession and gift You giue vs to haue renounced many false doctrines in Popery and to haue embraced so many truths we take it vntill more You professe where you sticke what you mislike In these foure famous heads which you haue learned by heart from all your predecessors An hatefull Prelacie Barr. and Gr. against Gyffe Confer Exam passim Penry in his Exam. Exo. 1.2 3 c. Ierem. 20.1 Ierem. 5. vlt. A deuised Ministerie a confused and profane communion and lastly the intermixture of grieuous errors What if this truth were taught vnder a hatefull Prelacie Suppose it were so Must I not imbrace the truth because I hate the Prelacie What if Israel liue vnder the hatefull Aegyptians What if Ieremie liue vnder hatefull Pashur What if the Iewes liue vnder an hatefull Priesthood What if the Disciples liue vnder hatefull Scribes What are others persons to my profession If I may be freely allowed to bee a true professed Christian what care I vnder whose hands But why is our Prelacie hatefull Actiuely to you or passiuely from you In that it hates you Would God you were not more your owne enemies Or rather because you hate it your hatred is neither any newes nor paine Who or what of ours is not hatefull to you Our Churches Bells Clothes Sacraments Preachings Prayers Singings Catechismes Courts Meetings Burials Marriages It is maruell that our aire infects not and that our heauen and earth as Optatus said of the Donatists escape your hatred Iohns praef to his 7. Reas Not the forwardest of our Preachers as you terme them haue found any other entertainment no enemie could bee more spightfull I spsake it to your shame Rome it selfe in diuers controuersarie discourses hath bewrayed lesse gall than Amsterdam the better they are to others you professe they are the worse Iohns 7. Reas p. 66. Tit. 3.4 yea would to God that of Paul were not verified of you hatefull and hating one another but we haue learned that of wise Christians not the measure of hatred should be respected Psal 69.4 but the desert Dauid is hated for no cause Michaiab for a good cause Your causes shall be examined in their places onwards It were happy if you hated your owne sinnes more and peace lesse our Prelacie would trouble you lesse and you the Church SECTION XXVII FOr our deuised office of Ministery you haue giuen it a true title The truth and warrant of the Ministery of England Mat. 28.19 Ephes 4.11 â— Tim. 2.2 1 Tim. 3.1 Act. 13. 1 Tim. 3.6 1 Tim. 5.22 1 Tim. 2.15 Discourse of the trouble and Excom at Amst It was deuised indeed by our Sauiour when he said Goe teach all Nations and baptize and performed in continuance when he gaue some to be Pastors and Teachers and not onely the Office of Ministery in generall but ours whom he hath made able to teach and desirous separated vs for this cause to the work vpon due triall admitted vs ordained vs by imposition of hands of the Eldership and praier directed vs in the right diuision of the Word committed a charge to vs followed our Ministery with power and blessed our labours with gracious successe euen in the hearts of those whose tongues are thus busie to deny the truth of our vocation Behold here the deuised Office of our Ministery What can you deuise against this Your Pastor who as his brother writes hopes to worke wonders by his Logicall skill hath killed vs with seuen Arguments which he professeth the quintessence of his owne and Penries extractions whereto your Doctor refers vs as absolute I would it were not tedious or worth a Readers labour to see them scanned I protest before God and the world I neuer read more grosse stuffe so boldly and peremptorily faced out so full of Tautologies and beggings of the Question neuer to be yeelded Let me mention the maine heads of them and for the rest be sorry that I may not be endlesse To proue therefore that no communion may be had with the Ministery of the Church of England he vses these seuen demonstrations First Certaine Arg. against the Minist of England Counterpoys Because it is not that Ministery which Christ gaue and set in his Church Secondly Because it is the Ministery of Antichrists Apostasie Thirdly Because none can communicate with the Ministery of England but he worships the Beasts image and yeeldeth spirituall subiection to Antichrist Fourthly Because this Ministery deriueth not their power and function from Christ Fiftly Because they minister the holy things of God by vertue of a false spirituall calling Sixtly Because it is a strange Ministery not appointed by God in his word Seuenthly Because it is not from Heauen but from Men. Now I beseech thee Christian Reader iudge whether that which this man was wont so oft to obiect to his brother a crackt braine appeare not plainely in this goodly equipage of reasons For what is all this but one and the same thing tumbled seuen times ouer which yet with seuen thousand times babbling shall neuer be the more probable That our Ministery was not giuen and set in the Church by Christ but Antichristian what is it else to be from men to be strange to be a false spirituall calling not to be deriued from Christ to worship the image of the Beast So this great challenger that hath abridged his nine arguments to seuen might aswell haue abridged his seuen to one a halfe Here would haue beene as much substance but lesse glory As for his maine defence First
sinne is as ill as the Deuill can make it a most loathsome thing in the eyes of God and his Angels and Saints and we grant to our griefe that among so many millions of men there may be found some thousands of Lepers Good Lawes and censures meet with some others escape It is not so much our fault as our griefe But that this Leprosie infects all persons and things is shamefully ouer-reacht Plague and Leprosie haue their limits beyond which is no contagion If a man come not neere them Certè nullius crimen inaculat nescientem Aug. Epist 48. if he take the wind in an open aire they infect not such is sinne It can infect none but the guilty Those which act or assent to or beare with it or detest it not are in this pollution But those which can mourne for it and cannot redresse it are free from infection How many foule Lepers spiritually did our Sauiour see in the publike aire of the Iewish Church wherewith yet hee ioyned and his not fearing infection so much as gracing the remnants of their ruinous Church Were those seuen thousand Israelites 1 Reg. 19.18 whose knees bowed not to BAAL infected with the Idolatry of their Neighbours yet continued they still parts of the same Church 3. Hierarchie But this yet exceeds Not onely all persons but all things What Our Gospell Our Heauen Earth Sea Our Bookes Coyne Commodities Behold you see the same Heauen with vs you haue no Bibles but ours our aire in his circular motion comes to be yours the water that washeth our Iland perhaps washeth your hands Our vncleane Siluer I feare maintaines you Our commodities in part in rich your Land-Lords and yet all things amongst vs infected you are content to take some euill from your neighbours The third is our blasting Hierarchie which suffers no good thing that is no Brownist no singular fancy for what good things haue we but yours to grow or prosper amongst vs but withers all both bud and branch would to God the root also The last 4. Seruice-booke is a daily Sacrifice of a Seruice-booke an Incense how euer vnsauoury to you yet such as all Churches in Christendome hold sweet and offer vp as fit for the nostrils of the Almighty we are not alone thus tainted all Christian Churches that are or haue beene present the same Censers vnto God But ours smels strong of the Popes Portuise See whether this be any better than triuiall cauilling If â—ither an ill man or a Deuil shal speake that which is good may not a good man if it If a good Angell Patres nostri non selum ante Cyprianum vel Agâ—â—ppinum sed pâ—stea salubeâ—rimam consuetudinem tenueâ—unt vt quicquâ—d diu nil atque legitimum in aliquâ— haeresi vel si bismate inâ—egruÌ„ reperâ—ent â—pprobent potius quà m negarent August or man shall speake that which is euill is it euer the better for the Deliuerer If Satan himselfe shall say of Christ Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God shall I feare to repeat it Not the Author but the matter in these things is worthy of regard As Ierome speakes of the poysoned Workes of Origen and other dangerous Treatisors Good things may bee receiued from ill hands If the matter of any Prayer be Popish fault it for what it containes not for whence it came what say you against vs in this more than Master Smith your from Anabaptist saith of our baptizing of Infants Both of them equally condemned for Antichristian Still therefore we bâ—ast of the fâ—ce and cleere aire of the Gospell if it bee annoyed with some practicall euills we may be foule the Gospell is it selfe and our profession holy neither can we complaine of all euills while we want you SEP That all Christendome should so magnifie your happinesse as you say is much and yet your selues and the best amongst you complaine so much both in word and writing of your miserable condition vnder the imperious and superstitious impositions of the Prelates yea and suffer so much also vnder them as at this day you doe for seeking the same Church Gouernment and Ministerie which is in vse in all other Churches saue your owne The truth is you are best liked where you are worst knowne Your next neighbours of Scotland know your Bishops Gouernment so well as they rather chuse to vndergoe all the miserie of bonds and banishment than to partake with you in your happinesse this way so highly doe they magnifie and applaud the same Which choice I doubt not other Churches also would make if the same necessitie were laid vpon them And for your graces we despise them not nor any good thing amongst you no more than you doe such graces and good things as are to be found in the Church of Rome from which you separate notwithstanding We haue by Gods mercy the pure and right vse of the good gifts and graces of God in Christs Ordinance which you want Neither the Lords people nor the holy Vessels could make Babylon Sion though both the one and the other were captiued for a time SECTION LVI THat which followeth is but words a short answer is too much The iudgment of our owne and our neighbours of our Church Socrat. l b. 1. c. 4. Constant Alex. Ario. Ac tamet si vos inter vos vicissim dere quapâ—am mâ—mini momenti dissentuis siquidem neque omnes de omnibus rebus idem sâ—ntimus nihilominus tamen fieri poterit vt eximia concordia sincere inter vos integreque seruetur vna inter omnes communio consocâ—atio custoâ—atur That all Christendome magnifies the worthinesse of our Church in so cleare euidences of their owne voices you cannot denie and now when you see such testimonies abroad lest you should say nothing you fetch cauills from home Those men which you say complaine so much of their miserable condition vnder the Prelates impositions haue notwithstanding with the fame pens and tongues not onely iustified our Church but extold it you haue found no sharper aduersaries in this very accusation for which you maliciously cite them How freely how fully haue they euinced the truth yea the happinesse of the Church of England against your false challenges and yet your forehead dare challenge them for Authors So hath their moderation opposed some appendances that they haue both acknowledged and defended the substance with equall vehemence to your opposition neither doe they suffer as you traduce them for seeking another Church gouernment looke into the Millenaries petition the common voice of that part I am deceiued if ought of their complaints sound that way much lesse of their sufferings deformitie in practise is obiected to them not indeauour of innouation That quarrell hath beene long silent your motion cannot reuiue it would God you could as much follow those men in moderate and charitable carriage as you haue out-run them in complaint It pleaseth you to deuise vs
like pictures vpon course Canuasse which shew fairest at farthest attributing forraine approbation which you cannot denie to distance more than to desert How is it then that besides strange witnesses we which looke vpon this face without preiudice commend it God knowes without flattery wee can at once acknowledge her infirmities and blesse God for her graces Our neighbours yea our selues of Scotland know our Church so well that they doe with one consent praise her for one of Gods best daughters neither doe the most rigorous amongst them more dislike our Episcopall Gouernment than imbrace our Church what fraud is this to flie from the Church in common to one circumstance we can honour that noble Church in Scotland may we not dislike their alienations of Church-liuings If one thing offend doe all displease Yet euen this Gouernment which you would haue them resist to bonds and banishment who knowes not begins to finde both fauour and place what choice other Churches would make as you doubt not so you care not If you regard their sentence how durst you reuile her as a false Harlot whom they honour as a deare Sister If you were more theirs than we you might vpbraid vs Now you tell vs what perhaps they would doe we tell you what they doe and will doe Euen with one voice blesse God for England as the most famous and flourishing Church in Christendome your handfull only makes faces enuies this true glory Who yet you say despise not our graces no more than wee those of Rome See how you despise vs while you say you are free from despite How malicious is this comparison as if wee were to you as Rome to vs and yet you despise vs more Wee grant Rome a true Baptisme M. Smiths retort vpon M. Clifton p. 50. true Visibility of a Church though monstrously corrupted you giue vs not so much Thankes be to God we care lesse for your censure than you doe for our Church We haue by Gods mercy the true and right vse of the Word and Sacraments and all other essentiall gifts and graces of God if there might be some further helps in execution to make these more effectuall we resist not But those your other imaginary ordinances as we haue not so we want not Neither the Caldeans nor any Idolatrous enemies could make Sion Babylon nor the holy vessels profane so as they should cease to be fit for Gods vse but they were brought backe at the returne of the captiuity to Ierusalem Such were our Worship Ministery Sacraments and those manifold subiects of your cauills which whilst you disgrace for their former abuse you call our good euill and willingly despise our graces SEP Where the truth is a gainer the Lord which is truth cannot bee a loser Neither is the thankes of ancient fauours lost amongst them which still presse on towards new mercies Vnthankefull are they vnto the blessed Maiestie of God and vnfaithfull also which knowing the will of their Master doe it not but goe on presumptuously in disobedience to many the holy ordinances of the Lord and of his Christ which they know and in word also acknowledge he hath giuen to his Church to be obserued and not for idle speculation and disputation without obedience It is not by our sequestration but by our confusion that Rome and Hell gaines Your odious commixture of all sorts of people in the body of your Church in whose lap the vilest miscreants are dandled sucking her brests as her naturall children and are be-blest by her as hauing right thereunto with all her holy things as Prayer Sacraments and other Ceremonies is that which aduantageth hell in the finall obduration and perdition of the wicked whom by these meanes you flatter and deceiue The Romish Prelacie and Priesthood amongst you with the appurtenances for their maintenance and ministrations are Romes aduantage Which therefore she challengeth as her owne and by which she also still holds possession amongst you vnder the hope of regaining her full inheritance at one time or other And if the Papists take aduantage at our condemnation of you and separation from you it concernes you well to see where the blame is and there to lay it lest through light and inconsiderate iudgement you iustifie the wicked and condemne the righteous SECTION LVII ALL the sequell of my Answerer is meerely sententious The issue of Separation it is fitter for vs to learne than replie Where the truth gaines say you God loseth not I tell you againe where God loseth the truth gaineth not and where the Church loseth God which indowed her cannot but lose Alas what can the truth either get or saue by such vnkinde quarrels Surely suspition on some hands on others reiection for as Optatus of his Donatists betwixt our Licet and your Non licet Inter licet vestrum non licet nostrum nutant ac remigant animae Christianorum Optat. coâ—â—â— Pâ—â—m many poore soules wauer and doubt neither will settle because we agree not Thanks are not lost where new fauours are called for but where old are denied While your Poesie is Such as the mother such is the daughter where are our old our any mercies They are vnthankfull which know what God hath done and confesse it not They are vnthankfull to God and his Deputie which knowing themselues made to obey presume to ouer-ruâ—â— and vpon their priuate authoritie obtrude to the Church those ordinances to be obseâ—ued which neuer had being but in their owne idle speculation Your Sequestration and our confusion are both of them beneficiall where they should not and as you pretend our confusion for the cause of your Separation So is your Separation the true cause of too much trouble and confusion in the Church Your odious tale of commixture hath cloyed and surfeted your Reader already and receiued answer to satietie this one dish so oft brought forth argues your pouertie The visible Church is Gods Drag-not and Field and Floore and Arke Non enim propter malos boni deserendi sed propter bonos mali tolerandi sunt c. Sicut tolerauerunt Prophetae c. Aug. Ep. 48. Barr. against Gyff here will be euer at her best Sedge Tares Chaffe vncleane Creatures yet is this no pretence for her neglect The notoriously euill shee casts from her brest and knee denying them the vse of her Prayers and which your Leaders mislike of her Sacrament If diuers through corruption of vnfaithfull Officers escape censure yet let not the transgressions of some redound to the condemnation of the whole Church In Gods iudgement it shall not we care litle if in yours Wee tell wicked men they may goe to hell with the water of Baptisme in their faces with the Church in their mouthes we denounce Gods iudgements vnpartially against their sinnes and them Thus we flatter thus we deceiue If yet they will needs runne to perdition Perditio tua ex te Israel Our Clergie is
their care whom it concernes onely I will haue leaue to speake for our owne Neither did I euer derogate ought from sacred Virginitie or lay it leuell whether absolutely or in all circumstances with holy Matrimonie neither did I euer conceiue of an impossibilitie of Continence in some persons Take away these three Grounds which I vtterly disclaime before God and Men together with his petulant Raylings and idle Excursions and what is become of the Volume of my great Aduersarieâ— Those three vast Paragraphes are shrunke into so few sheets of Paper that a Mouse may as soone runne away with his Book as with his god My Masters of Doway if ye bee the Superiors vnder whose permission this worthy Worke sees the light for shame keepe vp your lauish Vnthrifts of good time and send vs such Antagonists as may not faine Occasions to empty their Note-Bookes One dash of a Pen might thus iustly answer the most part of his bloughtie Volume wherein like a drunken Man he makes a fray with his owne shadow and like an idle Whelpe runnes about after his owne Sterne But that he may not complaine to bee cast off too contemptuously he shall receiue a faire account of Particulars SECT III. THe Theme of my Epistle is plainely no other then our Mariage censured hee answers of Theirs I would there were such cause of familiarity and entirenesse that what is said of one might agree to both But the world knowes we are two If I say our Clergie is heartily loyall to their King will he straight take it of theirs If that our Clergy is willingly subiect to more then the directiue Power of their Soueraigne will he challenge this to theirs The very Point which I purposely declined hee followes in hot chase Euen moderate Papists they are the words of my Epistle will grant vs free because not bound by Vow not so farre as those old Germanes proposse nosse And yet all my Detectors refutation still driues at the supposition of a Vow What haue we to doe with Votaries Our Clergie is free whether as Clergie or as ours First as persons Ecclesiasticall quà tales For holy Orders vvhether as orders or as holy are no hinderances of Matrimonie as Cardinall Cajetan truely and with him the vvhole Schoole That which may bee pretended for Impediment is either a Vow annexed or an Ecclesiasticall Statute b b Ordinasacro debitum Continentiae non est essentialiter annexum l. om Soâ—o l. 7. q. 4. de Iure Instit As for the Vow it is so farre from being essentiall to holy Orders as that it is made by c c Vide Caietan Opus de Castit Act. Conc. Trid. Alia est c. â—sa Monacâ—i alia Cleric Extr. de Voâ— c Pluâ—aâ—â—fiâ—endo promittit Mâ—nachus quà m â—eâ—pieâ—cto saâ—â—m ordinem â—â—câ—cus some learned Papists a difference betwixt the Obligation of their Religious and their Priests That their Religious are bound by a solemne Vow to single life in the very intrinsecall nature of their Profession their Priests onely by a Church Constitution without Vow And those that goe further with their famous Cardinal and teach That it is expresly forbidden to Bishops to ordaine any without the promise of single life ground this but vpon an Epistle of Pope Gregory d d Dist 28. Greg. Petr. Diaco l. 1. ep 42. Caiet vbi sâ—pra Polyd. Virg. c. a late and weake foundation and besides hold that their Vow is but semi-solemne and accidentally incident into this Profession for so much as here is neither a direct Exhibition of the Body to this purpose in the Offerer nor a direct Consecration to this end in the Admitter both which make vp the solemnity of the vow vpon which reason according to them a Religious Order because it yeelds ouer the Body vnto an estate repugnant to Matrimony doth of it selfe in it owne nature both hinder Mariage and nullifie it not so the Ecclesiasticall To which wee may adde That according to their owne e e Meldenaâ— sum q. 15. art 27. Item Voti sciennitas ex soli constâ—â—tione Ecclesiae est inuenta Matrimonij vero vinculum ab ipso Ecclesiae capite rerum omnium conditore c. Extra Item vinculum voti solennis solutio eius est ex statuto Ecclesiae Antonin Simplex votum apud Deum non mirtùs obligat quâm solenne Celest extr qui Clereci c. Doctors Solemnitie and Simplicitie make no difference of the Vow before God though before the Church A distinction too slight too newly vpstart to ouerturne an ancient and well grounded Institution Neither need wee any better or other proofe of the inconnexion of this Vow with holy Orders then that of their owne Dominicus à Soto f f Non est de essentia Sacerdotis seruare castitatem quandoquidem Graeci etiam ab Ecclesia Latinâ— permittuntur in coniugij foedere permaâ—ere Dom. Sot l. 7. de Iure q. 4. P. Venetus Brocard Lud. Vertomannus Ios. Indus of the Christians in India and Cathaia c. Non si quid Turbida Roma eleuet accedas Pers Non est de essentia Sacerdotis c. It is not of the essence of a Priest saith he to keepe single for that the Grecian Clergie are permitted euen by the Roman Church to continue in the estate of Mariage What can be more cleare If there were a necessary and inseparable connexion of a vowed Continency with holy Orders then would not neither could the Roman Church acknowledge a true Priesthood where it finds coniâ—gall Society Their act of allowance to the Greeke Church implyes a faire independency of these two which some of their clamorous Clients plead to haue indiuisibly coupled So as now all the strength of this necessary Celibate is resolued into the power of a Church statute and of what Church but the Roman All other Churches in the World as of Armenia Grecia Syria Ethiopia Russia the Georgians c. allow the coniunction of Ministerie and Mariage and are so farre from requiring a Vow of necessary Continencie that they rather erroniously prerequire a necessity of Mariage in the persons to be ordained It is onely the Church of g g Ecclesiae statuto nec vniuersalis sed Latinae Espenc l. 1. de Cont. c. 13. Id circo cum summus Pontifex possit at libitum c. Caiet Opus de Castitate Dubia causae Rome the great and imperious Mistresse of the World that imposes the yoke of this vow vpon her Vassalls Imposes it but ad libitum so as her great Paramour in whose vast Bosome that whole Church lyes may dispense with it as he lists Heare that irrefutable discourse of Cardinall Caietan His words beare weight and are not vnworthy the eyes of my Reader Therefore saith hee since the Pope may at his pleasure loose the Bond of that Statute it followes necessarily that if a Priest of the Westerne Church shall marry by
soule in death the same day The same day was Q. Elizabeths Initium Regni her Coronation Ianuary 15 following That leasure enough might be taken in these great affaires the See of Canterbury continued void aboue a yeare At last in the second yeare of Q. Elizabeth 1559 December 17 was Matthew Parker legally consecrated Archb. of Canterbury by foure Bishops William Barlow formerly Bishop of Bathe then elect of Chichester Iohn Scory before of Chichester now elect of Hereford Miles Couerdale Bishop of Exeter Iohn Hodgeskins Suffragan of Bedford Mathew Parker thus irrefragably setled in the Archiepiscopall See with three other Bishops in the same Moneth of December solemnely consecrated Edmund Grindall and Edwin Sands The publike Records are euident and particular relating the Time Sunday morning after Prayers The place Lambeth-Chappell The manner Imposition of hands The consecrators Mathew Cant. William Chichester Iohn Hereford Iohn Bedford The Preacher at the Consecration Alexander Nowell afterwards the worthy Deane of Pauls The Text Take heed to your selves and to all the flocke c. The Communion lastly administred by the Archbishop For Bishop Iewel he was consecrated the Moneth following in the same forme by Mathew Cant. Edmund London Richard Ely Iohn Bedford Lastly for Bishop Horne he was consecrated a whole yeare after this by Mathew Cant. Thomas S. Dauids Edmund London Thomas Couentry and Lichfield The circumstances Time Place Form Preacher Text seuerally recorded The particulars whereof I referre to the faithfull and cleare relation of Master Francis Mason whose learned and full discourse of this subiect might haue satisfied all eyes and stopped all mouthes What incredible impudency is this then for those which pretend not Christianitie onely but the Consecration of God wilfully to raise such shamefull slanders from the pit of Hell to the disgrace of Truth to the disparagement of our holy calling Let me therefore challenge my Detector in this so important a point wherein his zeale hath so farre out-run his wit and with him all the Brats of that proud Harlot that no Church vnder Heauen can shew a more cleere eeuen vncontrolable vntroubled line of the iust succession of her Sacred Orders then this of ours if his Rome for her tyrannous Primacie could bring forth but such Cards the world vvould bee too straight for her He shall maugre be forced to confesse that either there were neuer true Orders in the Church of England which he dares not say or else that they are still Ours The Bishops in the time of King Henry the eight were vndoubted If they left Rome in some corrected opinions their Character was yet by confession a a Quis ignorat Cathol c. similiter Ordinatos verè esse Ordinatos quando Ordinator verè Episcopus fuerat adhuc erat saltem quantum ad characterem Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 10. indeleble They laid their hands according to Ecclesiasticall constitution vpon the Bishops in King Edwards dayes And they both vpon the Bishops in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths They againe vpon the succeeding Inheritors of their holy Sees and they lastly vpon vs so as neuer man could shew a more certaine and exquisite Pedigree from his great Grand-father then wee can from the acknowledged Bishops of King Henries time and thence vpwards to hundreds of Generations I confesse indeed our Archbishops and Bishops haue wanted some Aaronicall accustrements Gloues Rings Sandals Miters and Pall and such other trash and our inferiours Orders haue wanted Gâ—eazing and Shauing and some other pelting Ceremonies But let C. E. proue these essentiall which we want or those Acts and Formes not essentiall vvhich we haue Et Phyllida solus habeto In the meane time the Church of England is blessed with a true Clergy and glorious and such a one as his Italian generation may impotently enuy and snarle at shall neuer presume to compete vvith in worthinesse and honour And as Doctor Taylor that couragious Martyr said at his parting Blessed bee God for holy Matrimonie SECT XVIII MY Cauiller purposely mistakes my rule of Basil the Great Refut p. 90. 91. and my Text of the Great Apostle whiles from both I resolue thus I passe not what I heare Men or Angels say while I heare God say Let him be the Husband of one Wife he wil needs so construe it as if I tooke this of S. Pauls for a command not for an allowance As if I meant to imply from hence that euery Bishop is bound to haue a Wife Who is so blind as the wilfull Their Leo b b Leo ep 87. abaâ— 85. Tam sacra semper est habita ista Praeceptio calls these words a Preception I did not If hee knew any thing he could not be ignorant that this sense is against the streame of our Church and no lesse then a Grecian errour Who knowes not the extreames of Greece and Rome and the Track of Truth betwixt them both The Greeke Church saith Hee cannot be in holy Orders that is not maried The Romish Church saith He cannot bee in holy Orders that is maried The Church Reformed sayes Hee may bee in holy Orders that is maried and conuertibly Some good friends vvould needs fetch vs into this idle Grecisme and to the societie of the old Frisons c c Espenc lib. 1. de Contin c. 1. and if Saint Ierome take it aright of Vigilantius Espencaeus and Bellarmine and our Rhemists free vs. There is no lesse difference betwixt them and vs then betwixt May and Must Libertie and Necessitie If then Let him be the Husband of one Wife argue that a Bishop may bee a maried man I haue vvhat I would and passe not for the contrarie from Men and Angels We willingly grant vvith Luther that this charge is negatiue Refut p. 91 92. Non velut sanciens dicit saith Chrysostome But this negatiue charge implyes an affirmatiue allowance we seeke for no more As for the authorities which my Detector hath borrowed of his Vncles of Rhemes they might haue beene well spared He tels vs Saint Ierom sayes Qui vâ—am habuerit non habeat He who hath had one Wife not hee that hath one I tell him Saint Paul saith d d Tit. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man be the Husband of one Wife not If hee haue beene Let e e Chrysost in 1. Tit. homil 2. Saint Chrysostome therein answer Hierome and Epiphanius and all other pretended opposites Obstruere prorsus intendit haereticorum era qui nuptias damnaâ—t c. He purpos'd in this to stop the mouthes of Heretikes that condemned mariage shewing that that estate is faultlesse yea so precious that with it a man might bee aduanced to the holy Episcopall Chaire Thus he whom their learned f f Esp vbi supra Bishop Espencaeus seconds and by the true force of the Text cleareth this sense against all contradiction Nec enim Paulini de Episcopis c. For
on the Church of England 551 As of Apostacy 561 Notably confuted 562 The Brownists acknowledgment of the graces of the Church of England 563 Instances of their horrible railings 564 Their vnnaturalnesse ibid. and 565 What they think themselues beholding to the Church of England for 565 Our Church iustified by theÌ„ against their wills 552 And that in instancing some particular men whom they acknowledge Martyrs 573 The four pillars of Brownists 595 Their wronging of vs about Ceremonies 596 An eleuen crimes that they haue laid on the French and Dutch Church 601 Their imputation of our impure mixtures 604 Their scorne of our people 608 Buriall Of decent buriall 1326 Bush The burning Bush a perfect Embleme of the Church 870 Busie-bodies His Character 188 Buying A rule in buying and selling 697 C CAlfe Of the golden Calfe 899 Calling remedies against dulnesse in it 375 Honest men may not bee ashamed of their lawfull Callings 869 When God finds vs in our calling we shall finde him in his mercy 870 Grosse sinnes cannot preiudice the calling of God 900 The peoples assurance of the Ministers calling very materiall 927 The approbation of our calling is by the fruit ibid. An honest mans heart is where his calling is 1017 Neuer any calling of God was so conspicuous as not to find some opposites 1119 Our deuotions attended without neglect of our calling 1186 Diligence in our calling makes vs capable of blessednesse 1200 Cana The mariage in Cana. 1202 Canaan Of its Searchers 916 Cappucine prettily painted out 282 Carelesnesse Of an holy carelesnesse 64 Carnall A carnall heart cannot forgoe that wherein hee delights 1009 Cares Of taking cares on a mans selfe 48 Worldly cares fitly compared to thornes 142 Censure The conscionable somtimes too forward in censuring 1030 There must bee discretion there may not bee partialitie in our censures of the greatest 1063 Centurion Of the good Centurion 1205 His humilitie 1206 His faith 1207 Christ maruels at him ibid. Ceremonies some are typicall some of order and decencie 426 A passionate speech concerning our diuisions about ceremonies 426 427 Ceremonies must giue place to substance 1092 Challenges Whence they came 1081 Charitie vid. Loue not suspitious 1088 Cheerefulnesse an excitation to Christian cheerefulnesse 306 and in our labour 375 Nothing more acceptable then cheerefulnesse in the seruice of God 1028 Children an excellent child of an excellent parent a rare sight and why 135 What they owe their parents 242 A good note for children which couer their parents shame 828 It is both vncharitable iniurious to iudge of the childs dispositioÌ„ by the Father 867 Iepthâ—'s daughter a notable patterne for our children towards their parents 994 Childrens contempt of their parents for pottery censured 1025 Of our ouer loue to our children 1028 What children are most like to proue blessings 1031 A caueat for mocking children 1374 Christ his Annunciation 1164 Hee hath nothing in the whole work of our Redemption ordinarie 1162 No man may search into that wonder of his Conception 1166 Of his birth 1167 Of his lodging Cradle c. 1169 The vse of this his abasement ibid. how found of the Wise men 1172 Of his flight from Egypt and the vse of it 1177 His being among the Doctors 1185 His Baptisme 1 89 His temptation 1191 Hee is caried vp to a pinacle of the Temple 1195 Christian and Christianitie how a Christian should be both a Lambe and a Lyon 6 7. His happinesse 13 He is a little Church with n himselfe ibid. More difference betweene a naturall man and a right Christian then betwixt a man and a Beast 27 A wise Christian hath no enemies 47 An halfe Christian liues most miserably 62 A Christian compared to a Vine ibid. There is more in a Christian then any can see 66 A Christian man in all his wayes must haue three guides First Truth Secondly Charitie Thirdly Wisedome 137 Christianitie both an easie and hard yoake 143 The estate of a true though but a weake Christian 293 The difficultie of it 323 His description difference from a worldling 366 A conscionable Christian in sorrow sweetly described 493 Church That Churches happinesse wherein Truth and Peace meet together p. 6 A Christian is a little Church within himselfe p. 13 An excellent rule for our cariage in Church-dissentions 29 Church Schismes how bred fostered and confirmed 29 30 The needlesnesse of our conformitie to ancient Churches in all things 364 The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ 570 How it hath separated from Babylon 571 Why our Churches may stand 593 It is good coÌ„ming to Church for what end soeuer 870 The way to haue a blessing at home is to be deuout at Church 1031 What institutes a Church 1159 Cold When all hearts are cold and dead it is signe of an intended destruction 1059 Combats of single combats 338. 339 The censure of it 1120 Comforts the intermission of them what they doe 857 Commendations the commendation of diuers good men with the vse of imitation 287 Communitie care of it a signe of bâ—ing spirituall indeed 902 Companie the euill of euill company discyphered 2 What company we should delight in 4 A rule in choice of our companions 140 Company in sinne how it infects a sinner 901 And how it brings punishment on him 921 The intirenesse with wicked consorts is one of the strongest chaines of hell 931 Companie in the Church what it doth 1186 Compassion vide Mercy how it must be ruled 1103 Compellations sweet compellation how helpfull for the entertainment of good admonitions 956 Concord is the way to conquest 1136. vide Peace Concubine of the Leuites Concubine 1015 Confidence what maketh it 141 Described 226 A presumptuous confidence commonly goes bleeding home when as an humble feare returnes in triumph 1062 Confession how much it honors God 956 how he is pleased w th it 1009 Dauids confession 1142 Confession how hardly gotten out of vs. 1143 Conscience a good conscience keepes alwaies good cheere 46 The torment of an euill conscience 76 The ioy of such but dissembled ibid. The remedy of an vnquiet conscience 77 our peace of conscience comes by faith 78 79 The vaine shifts of the guilty conscience 79 Crosses a main enemy to the peace of conscience 80 A second ranke of enemies to peace of conscience 87 88 89. The Shipwracke of a good conscience is the casting away of all other excellencies 148 A wide conscience will swallow any sin 1006 Trust him in nothing that hath not a conscience of euery thing 1006 When we may look to haue rest to our Conscience 1031 A good conscience will make a man bold 1060 None can be sure of him that hath no conscience 1089 The power of conscience 1359 Conspiracy Corahs conspiracy 919 Constancy Of it 109 An encouragement vnto it 399 It must be like fire 911 One act is nought without constancy 919 Constâ—â—â—tion what it is 557 Constraint Whether constraint may haue place
in at the eye 1198 F FAction How to quell it drawne from an order in the body and soule 55 Falshood where that is in any it makes vs to suspect others 1134 Fame the vanity of being caried away with the affectation of fame 66 Fame is alwaies a blabbe oftentimes a lyar 1270 Fashion an excellent description of a man of fashion 700 immodesty of outward fashion bewrayes ill desires 851 Of the fashions out-running modesty 1135 Fasting it merits not but it prepares for good 908 Fathers what they owe to their children 242 Fauour it makes vertues of vices 67 Extraordinary fauours to the wicked make way for iudgments and are forerunners of their ruine 876 The purpose of any fauour is more then the value 1088 Fauour not vsed aright doth iustly breake out into Indignation 1135 Faith sudden extremity is a notable tryall of faith 15 The bond of faith is the strongest bond 29 A discourse of the proofes and signes of true faith 348 Of sense and faith 437 Of the power of faith 704 A notable meanes to hearten our faith 894 No life to that of faith 908 A pretty obseruation of the difference of sense faith 916 1162 All our actions done in faith and charity shall bee sure of pay 953 Faith euer ouerlooks the difficulties in the way and hath eye to the end 972 The strongest faith hath euer some touch of infidelity 977 1106 Faith giues both heart and armes in Warre 1084 The weake apprehensions of our imperfect faith are not to be so much censured as pitied 1162 Where our faith is not wanting to God his care cannot be wanting to vs. 1331 Faithfulnesse a faithfull man hath three eyes Of sense of Reason of Faith 34 The Character of a faithfull man 174 175 Faithfulnesse in reproofe 216 None so valiant as the beleeuer 918 It is no smal happinesse to be interessed in the faithfull 1052 Faithlesse no charity binds vs to trust those whom we haue found faithlesse 1102 Feare Feare and seruice must goe together 474 Feare distinguished 474 It fits the minde for Loue. ibid. Loue and feare neuer goe asunder where they are true 475 Feare what it signifies in the originall ibid. Distinguished ibid. Defined ibid. Our feare must bee reduced to seruice 476 A notable encouragement against feare of all oppositions 531 Meere feare is not sinfull 892 Feare and familiaritie God loues in the vse of his Ordinances 897 The most secure heart hath its flashes of feares 951 A fearfull man can neuer be a true friend 1004 Boldnesse and feare are commonly mis-placed in the best hearts 1052 Where there is no place for holy feare there will be place for the seruile 1109 Feasts A checke for our new-found feastings 476 Fight How all the creatures fight for God 531 Fishing Of the Ministers being compared to Fisher-men 1201 Flatterer or flatterie Its character 192 His successe remedy 218 Fatterie what it doth 280 Flattery a sure token of a false teacher 920 A iust doome for false flatterers fully described in the Amalekite that brought tydings to Dauid of Sauls death 1117 1118 A flatterer most notably discouered 1132 1133 Flesh in the matters of God we must not consult with flesh and blood 835 Flight whether wee may fly in time of danger 1177 Follow neuer was seene so bad course but had some followers or applauders 138 Food the soule is fed as the body with milk strong meat 145. 146 Fooles three sorts 213 The successe of their follie ibid. All sinne hath power to befoole a man 1006 Force a pretty Embleme of force and wylinesse ioyned together to worke mischiefe 1002 Fortitude in generall and speciall 226 True ChristiaÌ„ fortitude what it teacheth 918 True Christian fortitude wades through all euills 1023. A note of true fortitude 1027 Forwardnesse It argues insufficience 871 Foâ—ce a pretty Embleme of the Foâ—ces tayes tyed together 1002 Freedome none free but Gods seruants 9 Freewill That errour foysted on the Church of England by the Parlour of Amsterdam 583 The Romish errour of free-will 645 Friend how to vse him 5 When knowne 25 Friendship Three grounds of friendship 29 What only should part frieÌ„ds 30 True friendship necessarily requireth patience ibid. No time lost that is bestowed on a true friend 31 The right behauiour of a true friend ibid. Of the losse of a friend 31 32 How to make men our frieÌ„ds perforce that will not be so in loue 47 A true friend the sweetest contentment in the world 53 How to deale with an offending friend 55 What we must doe in medling with friends faults 57 Rich men can hardly know their friends 59 The character of a true friend 177 A fearfull man can neuer be a true friend 1004 The fruition of friends a great comfort 1016 The purpose of any friendship is more then the value 1088 Fulke Doctor Fulke commended 287 Funerals Our Churches practice in them commendable 591 G GAderens Christ among their herds 1293 Why they besought Christs departure 1303 Gaine How many in feare of pouerty seâ—k to gaine vnconscionably and dye beggers 1003 No gaine so sweet as that of a robbed altar 1054 Gallant His description in his iollitie 493 Gamester hee is prettily deciphered 1001 Gergesens Christ among them 1293 Gesture vid. body Gibeonites Their wisdome but not falshood commended 958 Their smooth tale told for themselues ibid. The rescue of Gibeon 965 The Gibeonites reuenged 1243 Gideon His calling 957 His preparation victories 981 There is no greater example of modestie then in Gideon 985 Gifts or giuing God loues not either grudged or necessary gifts 39 Gods former gifts arguments of more 144 Speed in giuing how acceptable 966 In gifts intention is the fauour not the substance 972 God will find a time to make vse of any of his gifts bestowed on any man 991 We measure the loue of God by his gifts 1027 God loues not to haue his gifts lie dead where hee hath conferred them 1265 Glory Gods glory must bee the chiefe of all our actions and desires 902 God The vse of his presence p. 12 13 The absurd impiety of Israels desire of hauing other gods 899 A miserable god that wants helping 1044 With what securitie they walke that take their directions from God 1047 Godlinesse Neuer was any man a loser by true godlinesse 1129 Goliah Of him and Dauid 1080 How fitly he termes himselfe a dogge 1084 His end is a picture of the end of insolency and presumption 1085 Good Of doing good with an ill meaning 63 64 Of good ill vsed 64 All our best good is insensible 146 A good man wil euer be doing good 868 Good done but not out of conscience what they meet with 1090 Goodnesse Its power 7 No good man that mends not 8 It is of a winning qualitie 1023 Those men are worse then deuils that hate any for goodnesse ibid. Gospell The enioyment of it what a fauour it is 907 Its sweetnesse 929 Gouernours
I need not be so mopish as not to beleeue rather the language of the hand than of the tongue He that saies well and doth well is without exception commendable but if one of these must be seuered from the other I like him well that doth well and saith nothing 52 That which they say of the Pelican that when the Shepherds in desire to catch her lay fire not farre from her nest which she finding and fearing the danger of her young seekes to blow out with her wings so long till she burne her selfe and makes her selfe a prey in an vnwise pitty to her young I see morally verified in experience of those which indiscreetly medling with the flame of dissention kindled in the Church rather increase than quench it rather fire their owne wings than helpe others I had rather bewaile the fire afarre off than stirre in the coles of it I would not grudge my ashes to it if those might abate the burning but since I see this is daily increased with partaking I will behold it with sorrow and meddle no otherwise than by praiers to God and intreaties to men seeking my owne safety and the peace of the Church in the freedome of my thought and silence of my tongue 53 That which is said of Lucillaes faction that anger bred it pride fostered it and couetousnesse confirm'd it is true of all Schismes though with some inuersion For the most are bred through pride whiles men vpon an high conceit of themselues scorne to goe in the common road and affect singularitie in opinion are confirmed through anger whiles they stomacke and grudge any contradiction and are nourished through couetousnesse whiles they seeke abilitie to beare out their part In some others againe couetousnesse obtaines the first place anger the second pride the last Herein therefore I haue beene alwaies wont to commend and admire the humilitie of those great and profound wits whom depth of knowledge hath not lead to by-paths in iudgement but walking in the beaten path of the Church haue bent all their forces to the establishment of receiued truths accounting it greater glorie to confirme an ancient veritie than to deuise a new opinion though neuer so profitable vnknowne to their predecessors I will not reiect a truth for meere noueltie Old truths may come newly to light neither is God tied to times for the gift of his illumination but I will suspect a nouell opinion of vntruth and not entertaine it vnlesse it may be deduced from ancient grounds 54 The eare and the eie are the minds receiuers but the tongue is onely busied in expending the treasure receiued If therefore the reuenues of the minde bee vttered as fast or faster than they are receiued it cannot bee but that the minde must needs bee held bare and can neuer lay vp for purchase But if the receiuers take in still with no vtterance the minde may soone grow a burthen to it selfe and vnprofitable to others I will not lay vp too much and vtter nothing lest I be couetous nor spend much and store vp little lest I be prodigall and poore 55 It is a vaine-glorious flatterie for a man to praise himselfe An enuious wrong to detract from others I will therefore speake no ill of others no good of my selfe 56 That which is the miserie of Trauellers to finde many Oasts and few friends is the estate of Christians in their pilgrimage to a better life Good friends may not therefore be easily forgone neither must they bee vsed as suits of apparell which when wee haue worne threed-bare wee cast off and call for new Nothing but death or villanie shall diuorce mee from an old friend but still I will follow him so farre as is either possible or honest and then I will leaue him with sorrow 57 True friendship necessarily requires Patience For there is no man in whom I shall not mislike somewhat and who shall not as iustly mislike somewhat in mee My friends faults therefore if little I will swallow and digest if great I will smother them howeuer I will winke at them to others but louingly notifie them to himselfe 58 Iniuries hurt not more in the receiuing than in the remembrance A small iniurie shall goe as it comes a great iniurie may dine or sup with me but none at all shall lodge with me Why should I vex my selfe because another hath vexed me 59 It is good dealing with that ouer which we haue the most power If my state will not be framed to my minde I will labour to frame my minde to my estate 60 It is a great miserie to be either alwaies or neuer alone societie of men hath not so much gaine as distraction In greatest companie I will bee alone to my selfe in greatest priuacie in companie with God 61 Griefe for things past that cannot be remedied and care for things to come that cannot be preuented may easily hurt can neuer benefit me I will therefore commit my selfe to God in both and enioy the present 62 Let my estate bee neuer so meane I will euer keepe my selfe rather beneath than either leuell or aboue it A man may rise when he will with honour but cannot fall without shame 63 Nothing doth so befoole a man as extreme passion This doth both make them fooles which otherwise are not and shew them to bee fooles that are so Violent passions if I cannot tame them that they may yeeld to my ease I will at least smother them by concealement that they may not appeare to my shame 64 The minde of man though infinite in desire yet is finite in capacitie Since I cannot hope to know all things I will labour first to know what I needs must for their vse next what I best may for their conuenience 65 Though time be precious to me as all irreuocable good things deserue to be and of all other things I would not be lauish of it yet I will account no time lost that is either lent to or bestowed vpon my friend 66 The practises of the best men are more subiect to errour than their speculations I will honour good examples but I will liue by good precepts 67 As charitie requires forgetfulnesse of euill deeds so patience requites forgetfulnesse of euill accidents I will remember euils past to humble me not to vex me 68 It is both a miserie and a shame for a man to bee a Bankrupt in loue which hee may easily pay and be neuer the more impouerished I will be in no mans debt for good will but will at least returne euery man his owne measure if not with vsurie It is much better to bee a Creditor than a Debtor in any thing but especially of this yet of this I will so bee content to bee a Debtor that I will alwaies bee paying it where I owe it and yet neuer will haue so paid it that I shall not owe it more 69 The Spanish Prouerbe is too true Dead men and absent finde no friends
a seruice to God the Church by somuch more carefully to be regarded as it is more common For who is there that will not challenge a part in this labour and that shall not finde himselfe much more affected with holy measure rightly composed Wherefore I haue oft wondred how it could be offensiue to our aduersaries that these diuine Ditties which the Spirit of God wrote in verse should be sung in verse and that an Hebrew Poeme should be made English For if this kinde of composition had beene vnfit God would neuer haue made choice of numbers wherein to expresse himselfe Yea who knowes not that some other Scriptures which the Spirit hath indited in prose haue yet beene happily and with good allowance put into strict numbers If histories tell vs of a wanton Poet of old which lost his eies while hee went about to turne Moses into verse yet euery student knowes with what good successe and commendation Nonnus hath turned Iohns Gospell into Greeke Heroicks And Apollinarius that learned Syrian matched with Basil and Gregorie who liued in his time in the termes of this equalitie that Basils speech was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Apollinaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrote as Suidas reports all the Hebrew Scripture in Heroicks as Sozomen somewhat more restrainedly all the Archaiology of the Iewes till Sauls gouernment in 24. parts or as Socrates yet more particularly all Moses in Heroicks and all the other Histories in diuers metres but how-euer his other labours lie hid his Metaphrase of the Psalmes is still in our hands with the applause of all the learned besides the labours of their owne Flaminius and Arias Montanus to seeke for no more which haue worthily bestowed themselues in this subiect Neither doe I see how it can bee offensiue to our friends that wee should desire our English Metaphrase bettered I say nothing to the disgrace of that we haue I know how glad our aduersaries are of all such aduantages which they are ready enough to finde out without me euer reprochfully vpbraiding vs with these defects But since our whole Translation is now vniuersally reuised what inconuenience or show of innouation can it beare that the verse should accompanie the prose especially since it is well knowne how rude and homely our English Poesie was in those times compared with the present wherein if euer it seeth her full perfection I haue beene sollicited by some reuerend friends to vndertake this taske as that which seemed well to accord with the former exercises of my youth and my present profession The difficulties I found many the worke long and great yet not more painefull than beneficiall to Gods Church Whereto as I dare not professe any sufficiencie so I will not denie my readinesse and vtmost endeauour if I shall bee employed by Authoritie wherefore in this part I doe humbly suâ—mitâ—â—y selfe to the graue censures of them whose wisdome menageth these common affaires of the Church and am ready either to stand still or proceed as I shall see their Cloud or Fire goe before or behinde me Onely howsoeuer I shall for my true affection to the Church wish it done by better workemen Wherein as you approue so further my bold but not vnprofitable motion and commend it vnto greater cares as I doe you to the Greatest Non-such Iuly 3. Your louing kinsman IOS HALL ⧠Some few of DAVIDS Psalmes Metaphrased PSALME 1. In the tune of the 148. Psalme Giue laud vnto the Lord. WHo hath not walkt astray In wicked mens aduice Nor stood in sinners way Nor in their companies That scorners are As their fit mate In scoffing chaire Hath euer sate verse 2 But in thy lawes diuine O Lord sets his delight And in those lawes of thine Studies all day and night Oh how that man Thrice blessed is And sure shall gaine Eternall blisse verse 3 He shall be like the tree Set by the water-springs Which when his seasons be Most pleasant fruit forth brings Whose boughs so greene Shall neuer fade But couered beene With comely shade So to this happy wight All his designes shall thriue verse 4 Whereas the man vnright As chaffe which winds doe driue With euery blast Is tost on hie Nor can at last In safetie lie verse 5 Wherefore in that sad doome They dare not rise from dust Nor shall no sinner come To glory of the iust For God will grace The iust mans way While sinners race Runs to decay PSALME 2. In the tune of the 125. Psalme Those that doe put their confidence WHy doe the Gentiles tumults make And nations all conspire in vaine verse 2 And earthly Princes counsell take Against their God against the Raigne Of his deare Christ let vs they saine verse 3 Breake all their bonds and from vs shake Their thraldome yoke and seruile chaine verse 4 Whiles thus alas they fondly spake Hee that aloft rides on the skies Laughes all their lewd deuice to scorne verse 5 And when his wrathfull rage shall rise With plagues shall make them all forlorne And in his furie thus replies verse 6 But I my King with sacred horne Anointing shall in princely guise His head with royall Crowne adorne Vpon my Sions holy mount His Empires glorious seat shall be And I thus rais'd shall farre recount The tenour of his true degree verse 7 My Sonne thou art said God I thee Begat this day by due account Thy Scepter doe but aske of me All earthly kingdomes shall surmount verse 8 All nations to thy rightfull sway I will subiect from furthest end verse 9 Of all the world and thou shalt bray Those stubborne foes that will not bend With iron Mace like Poâ—ters clay verse 10 In pieces small yee Kings attend And yee whom others wâ—nt obey Learne wisdome and at last amend verse 11 See yee serue God with greater dread Than others you and in your feare Reioice the while and lowly spread verse 12 Doe homage to his Sonne so deare Lest he be wroth and doe you dead verse 13 Amids your way If kindled His wrath shall be O blessed those That doe on him their trust repose PSALME 3. As the 113. Psalme Ye children which c. AH Lord how many be my foes How many are against me â—ose verse 2 That to my grieued soule haue sed Tush God shall him no succour yeeld verse 3 Whiles thou Lord art my praise my shield And dost aduance my carefull head verse 4 Loud with my voice to God I cry'd His Grace vnto my sute reply'd From out his holy hill verse 5 I laid me downe slept rose againe For thou O Lord dost me sustaine And sau'st my soule from feared ill verse 6 Not if ten thousand armed foes My naked side should round enclose Would I be thereof ought a-dred Vp Lord and shield me from disgrace verse 7 For thou hast broke my foe-mens face And all the wickeds teeth hast shed verse 8 From thee O God is safe defence Doe thou thy free
Gods fooles Euery vertue hath his slander and his iest to laugh it out of fashion euery vice his colour His vsuallest theame is the boast of his young sinnes which he can still ioy in though he cannot commit and if it may be his speech makes him worse than he is He cannot thinke of death with patience without terrour which hee therefore feares worse than hell because this hee is sure of the other he but doubts of He comes to Church as to the Theater sauing that not so willingly for company for custome for recreation perhaps for sleepe or to feed his eies or his eares as for his foule he cares no more than if he had none He loues none but himselfe and that not enough to seeke his true good neither cares hee on whom hee treads that he may rise His life is full of licence and his practice of outrage Hee is hated of God as much as he hateth goodnesse and differs little from a Deuill but that he hath a body Of the Male-content HE is neither well full nor fasting and though he abound with complaints yet nothing dislikes him but the present for what hee condemned while it was once past he magnifies and striues to recall it out of the iawes of Time What he hath he seeth not his eies are so taken vp with what he wants and what he sees hee cares not for because he cares so much for that which is not When his friend carues him the best morsell he murmures that it is an happy feast wherein each one may cut for himselfe When a present is sent him he askes Is this all and What no better and so accepts it as if he would haue his friend know how much hee is bound to him for vouchsafing to receiue it It is hard to entertaine him with a proportionable gift If nothing he cries out of vnthankfulnesse if little that he is basely regarded if much he exclaimes of flatterie and expectation of a large requitall Euery blessing hath somewhat to disparage and distaste it Children bring cares single life is wilde and solitarie eminencie is enuious retirednesse obscure fasting painfull satietie vnwieldie Religion nicely seuere libertie is lawlesse wealth burdensome mediocritie contemptible Euery thing faulteth either in too much or too little This man is euer head-strong and selfe willed neither is hee alwaies tied to esteeme or pronounce according to reason some things he must dislike he knowes not wherefore but he likes them not and other-where rather than not censure he will accuse a man of vertue Euery thing hee medleth with he either findeth imperfect or maketh so neither is there any thing that soundeth so harsh in his eare as the commendation of another whereto yet perhaps he fashionably and coldly assenteth but with such an after-clause of exception as doth more than marre his former allowance and if he list not to giue a verball disgrace yet he shakes his head and smiles as if his silence should say I could and will not And when himselfe is praised without excesse hee complaines that such imperfect kindnesse hath not done him right If but an vnseasonable showre crosse his recreation he is ready to fall out with heauen and thinkes he is wronged if God will not take his times when to raine when to shine He is a slaue to enuie and loseth flesh with fretting not so much at his owne infelicitie as at others good neither hath he leisure to ioy in his owne blessings whilest another prospereth Faine would hee see some mutinies but dares not raise them and suffers his lawlesse tongue to walke thorow the dangerous paths of conceited alterations but so as in good manners hee had rather thrust euery man before him when it comes to acting Nothing but feare keepes him from conspiracies and no man is more cruell when he is not manicled with danger Hee speakes nothing but Satyrs and Libels and lodgeth no ghests in his heart but Rebels The inconstant and he agree well in their felicitie which both place in change but herein they differ the inconstant man affects that which will be the male-content commonly that which was Finally he is a querulous curre whom no horse can passe by without barking at yea in the deepe silence of night the very moone-shine openeth his clamorous mouth hee is the wheele of a well-couched fire-worke that flies out on all sides not without scorching it selfe Euery eare is long agoe wearie of him and he is now almost wearie of himselfe Giue him but a little respit and he will die alone of no other death than others welfare Of the Vnconstant THe inconstant man treads vpon a mouing earth and keepes no pase His proceedings are euer heady and peremptorie for he hath not the patience to consult with reason but determines meerely vpon fancie No man is so hot in the pursuit of what he liketh no man sooner wearie He is fierie in his passions which yet are not more violent than momentanie it is a wonder if his loue or hatred last so many daies as a wonder His heart is the Inne of all good motions wherein if they lodge for a night it is well by morning they are gone and take no leaue and if they come that way againe they are entertained as ghests not as friends At first like another Ecebolius he loued simple truth thence diuerting his eies hee fell in loue with idolatrie those heathenish shrines had neuer any more doting and besotted client and now of late he is leapt from Rome to Munster and is growne to giddie Anabaptisme what hee will be next as yet he knoweth not but ere he haue wintred his opinion it will be manifest Hee is good to make an enemie of ill for a friend because as there is no trust in his affection so no rancor in his displeasure The multitude of his changed purposes brings with it forgetfulnesse and not of others more than of himselfe He saies sweares renounces because what he promised he meant not long enough to make an impression Herein alone he is good for a Common-wealth that he sets many on worke with building ruining altering and makes more businesse than Time it selfe neither is he a greater enemie to thrift than to idlenesse Proprietie is to him enough cause of dislike each thing pleases him better that is not his owne Euen in the best things long continuance is a iust quarrell Manna it selfe growes tedious with age and Noueltie is the highest stile of commendation to the meanest offers neither doth he in bookes and fashions aske How good but How new Varietie carries him away with delight and no vniforme pleasure can be without an irksome fulnesse Hee is so transformable into all opinions manners qualities that he seemes rather made immediatly of the first matter than of well-tempered elements and therefore is in possibilitie any thing or euery thing nothing in present substance Finally hee is seruile in imitation waxe to perswasions wittie to wrong
relate ought better than he would he redoubles the question as being hard to beleeue what he likes not and hopes yet if that be auerred againe to his griefe that there is somewhat concealed in the relation which if it were knowne would argue the commended partie miserable and blemish him with secret shame He is readie to quarrell with God because the next field is fairer growne and angerly calculates his cost and time and tillage Whom he dares not openly backbite nor wound with a direct censure he strike smoothly with an ouer-cold praise and when he sees that he must either maliciously oppugne the iust praise of another which were vnsafe or approue it by assent he yeeldeth but shewes withall that his meanes were such both by nature and education that he could not without much neglect be lesse commendable so his happinesse shall be made the colour of detraction When an wholsome law is propounded he crosseth it either by open or close opposition not for any incommoditie or inexpedience but because it proceeded from any mouth besides his owne And it must bee a cause rarely plausible that will not admit some probable contradiction When his equall should rise to honour hee striues against it vnseene and rather with much cost suborneth great aduersaries and when hee sees his resistance vaine he can giue an hollow gratulation in presence but in secret disparages that aduancement either the man is vnfit for the place or the place for the man or if fit yet lesse gainfull or more common than opinion whereto he addes that himselfe might haue had the same dignitie vpon better tearmes and refused it He is wittie in deuising suggestions to bring his Riuall out of loue into suspition If he be courteous he is seditiously popular if bountifull he bindes ouer his clients to a faction if successefull in warre he is dangerous in peace if wealthy he laies vp for a day if powerfull nothing wants but opportunitie of rebellion His submission is ambitious hypocrisie his religion politike insinuation no action is safe from a iealous construction When hee receiues a good report of him whom he emulates he saith Fame is partiall and is wont to blanch mischiefes and pleaseth himselfe with hope to finde it worse and if Ill-will haue dispersed any more spightfull narration he laies hold on that against all witnesses and brocheth that rumour for truest because worst and when he sees him perfectly miserable he can at once pitie him and reioyce What himselfe cannot doe others shall not hee hath gained well if he haue hindred the successe of what hee would haue done and could not Hee conceales his best skill not so as it may not be knowne that he knowes it but so as it may not be learned because he would haue the world misse him He attained to a soueraigne medicine by the secret Legacy of a dying Empericke whereof he will leaue no heire lest the praise should be diuided Finally he is an enemy to Gods fauours if they fall beside himselfe the best nurse of ill Fame a man of the worst diet for he consumes himselfe and delights in pining a thorne-hedge couered with nettles a peeuish Interpreter of good things and no other than a leane and pale carkase quickned with a Fiend FINIS SALOMONS DIVINE ARTS OF 1. ETHICKS 2. POLITICKS 3. OECONOMICKS THAT IS THE GOVERNMENT OF 1. BEHAVIOVR 2. COMMON-WEALTH 3. FAMILIE DRAWNE INTO METHOD OVT of his PROVERBS and ECCLESIASTES With an open and plaine Paraphrase vpon the SONG OF SONGS By IOS HALL 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 AND HOPEFVLL LORD ROBERT Earle of Essex my singular good Lord all increase of Grace and true HONOVR RIGHT HONOVRABLE WHilest J desired to congratulate your happy returne with some worthy present I fell vpon this which I dare not onely offer but commend the royallest Philosopher and wisest King giuing you those precepts which the Spirit of God gaue him The matter is all his nothing is mine but the method which I doe willingly submit to censure In that hee could not erre in this J cannot but haue erred either in Art or application or sense or disorder or defect yet not wilfully I haue meant it well and faithfully to the Church of God and to your Honour as one of her great hopes If any man shall cauill that I haue gone about to correct Salomons order or to controule Ezekias seruants I complaine both of his charity and wisdome and appeale to more lawfull iudgement Let him as well say that euery Concordance peruerts the Text. J haue onely endeuoured to be the common place-booke of that great King and to referre his Diuine rules to their heads for more ease of finding for better memory for readier vse See how that God whose wisdome thought good to bereaue mankinde of Salomons profound Commentaries of Nature hath reserued these his Diuine Morals to out-liue the world as knowing that those would but feed mans curiositie these would both direct his life and iudge it He hath not done this without expectation of our good and glory to himselfe which if we answer the gaine is ours J know how little need there is either to intreat your Lordships acceptation or to aduise your vse It is enough to haue humbly presented them to your hands and through them to the Church the desire of whose good is my good yea my recompence and glory The same God whose hand hath led and returned you in safetie from all forraine euils guide your waies at home and graciously increase you in the ground of all true honour Goodnesse My praiers shall euer follow you Who vow my selfe your Honours in all humble and true dutie IOS HALL SALOMONS ETHICKS OR MORALS JN FOVRE BOOKES The 1. Of FELICITIE 2. Of PRVDENCE 3. Of IVSTICE 4. Of TEMPERANCE FORTITVDE By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. SALOMONS ETHICKS OR GOVERNMENT OF Behauiour and Manners THE FIRST BOOKE FELICITY § 1. Of Ethicks in common The description The chiefe end which is Felicitie ETHICKS is a Doctrine of wisdome and knowledge to liue well Ec. 1.17 Ec. 7. â—7 and of the madnesse and foolishnesse of vice or instruction to doe wisely by iustice and iudgement and equity and to doe good in our life Pr. 1.3 The end whereof is to see and attaine that chiefe goodnesse of the children of men Ec. 3.12 Ec. 3.2 which they enioy vnder the Sunne the whole number of the daies of their life § 2. Wherein Felicity is not Not in pleasure Not in wealth for herein is 1 No satisfaction 2 Increased expence 3 Restlesnesse 4 Want of fruition 5 Vncertaintie 6 Necessitie of leauing it WHich consists not in pleasure for I said in mine heart Goe to now Ec. 2.1 I will
Lord DENNY Baron of Waltham All Grace and Happinesse RIGHT HONOVRABLE WHen I would haue withdrawne my hand from diuine Salomon the heauenly elegance of this his best Song drew mee vnto it and would not suffer mee to take off mine eies or pen. Who can reade it with vnderstanding and not be transported from the world from himselfe and bee any otherwhere saue in Heauen before his time I had rather spend my time in admiration than Apologie Surely here is nothing that sauours not of extasie and spirituall rauishment neither was there euer so high and passionate a speculation deliuered by the Spirit of God to mankinde which by how much more diuine it is by so much more difficult It is well if these mysteries can be found out by searching Two things make the Scripture hard Prophecies Allegories both are met in this but the latter so sensibly to the weakest eies that this whole Pastorall-mariage-song for such it is is no other than one Allegorie sweetly continued where the deepest things of God are spoken in Riddles how can there be but obscuritie and diuers construction All iudgements will not I know subscribe to my senses yet I haue beene fearefull and spiritually nice not often dissenting from all Jnterpreters alwaies from the vnlikeliest It would bee too tedious to giue my account for euery line let the learned scan and iudge What-euer others censures be your Honours was fauourable and as to all mine full of loue and incouragement That therefore which it pleased you to allow from my pen vouchsafe to receiue from the Presse more common not lesse deuoted to you What is there of mine that doth not ioy in your name and boast it selfe in seruing you To whose soule and people I haue long agone addicted my selfe and my labours and shall euer continue Your Lordships in all humble and vnfained dutie IOS HALL SALOMONS SONG OF SONGS PARAPHRASED CHAP. I. Dialogue The Church to CHRIST 1. Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy loue is beter than wine OH that he would bestow vpon me the comfortable testimonies of his loue and that he would vouchsafe me yet a neerer coniunction with himselfe as in glorie hereafter so for the meane time in his sensible graces For thy loue O my Sauiour and these fruits of it are more sweet vnto mee than all earthly delicates can be to the bodily taste 2. Because of the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is as an ointment powred out therefore the Virgins loue thee Yea so wonderfully pleasant are the sauours of those graces that are in thee wherewith I desire to be endued that all whom thou hast blessed with the sense thereof make as high and deare account of thy Gospell whereby they are wrought as of some precious ointment or perfume the delight whereof is such that hereupon the pure and holy soules of the faithfull place their whole affection vpon thee 3. Draw mee we will runne after thee the King hath brought mee into his chambers wee will reioice and bee glad in thee we will remember thy loue more than wine the righteous doe loue thee Pull me therefore out from the bondage of my sinnes deliuer mee from the world and doe thou powerfully incline my will and affections toward thee and in spight of all tentations giue mee strength to cleaue vnto thee and then both I and all those faithfull children thou hast giuen mee shall all at once with speed and earnestnesse walke to thee and with thee yea when once my Royall and glorious Husband hath brought me both into these lower roomes of his spirituall treasures on earth and into his heauenly chambers of glory then will we reioice and be glad in none but thee which shalt be all in all to vs then will wee celebrate and magnifie thy loue aboue all the pleasures we found vpon earth for all of vs thy righteous ones both Angels and Saints are inflamed with the loue of thee 4. I am blacke O daughters of Ierusalem but comely If I be as the tents of Kedar yet I am as the curtaines of Salomon Neuer vpbraid me O yee forraine congregations that I seeme in outward appearance discoloured by my infirmities and duskish with tribulations for whatsoeuer I seeme to you I am yet inwardly well-fauoured in the eies of Him whom I seeke to please and though I be to you blacke like the tents of the Arabian shepheards yet to him and in him I am glorious and beautifull like the Curtaines of Salomon 5. Regard yee me not because I am blacke for the Sunne hath looked vpon mee the sonnes of my mother were angry against me they made me keeper of the vines but I kept not mine owne vine Looke not therefore disdainfully vpon me because I am blackish and darke of hiew for this colour is not so much naturall to mee as caused by that continuall heat of afflictions wherewith I haue beene vsually scorched neither this so much vpon my owne iust desert as vpon the rage and enuie of my false brethren the world who would needs force vpon me the obseruation of their idolatrous religions and superstitious impieties through whose wicked importunitie and my owne weaknesse I haue not so intirely kept the sincere truth of God committed to me as I ought 6. Shew me O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest where thou liest at noone for why should I be as she that turneth aside to the flocks of thy companions Now therefore that I am some little started aside from thee O thou whom my soule notwithstanding dearely loueth shew me I beseech thee where and in what wholsome and diuine pastures thou like a good shepherd feedest and restest thy flocks with comfortable refreshings in the extremitie of these hot persecutions for how can it stand with thy glorie that I should through thy neglect thus suspiciously wander vp and downe amongst the congregations of them that both command and practise the worship of false gods CHRIST to the Church 7. If thou know not O thou the fairest among women get thee forth by the steps of the flocke and seed thy Kids aboue the tents of the shepherds IF thou know not O thou my Church whom I both esteeme and haue made most beautifull by my merits and thy sanctification stay not amongst these false worshippers but follow the holy steps of those blessed Patriarkes Prophets Apostles which haue beene my true and ancient flocke who haue both knowne my voice and followed mee and feed thou my weake and tender ones with this their spirituall food of life farre aboue the carnall reach of those other false teachers 8. I haue compared thee O my loue to the troupes of horses in the Chariots of Pharaoh Such is mine estimation of thee O my Loue that so farre as the choisest Egyptian horses of Pharaoh for comely shape for honourable seruice for strength and speed exceed all other so farre thou excellest all that may be compared
grace returne that both my selfe and all the companie of Angels may see and reioice in thee and what shall yee see O all yee hoasts of heauen what shall yee see in my Church Euen such an awfull grace and maiestie as is in a well-marshalled army ready to meet with the enemie CHAP. VII 1. How beautifull are thy goings with shooes O Princes daughter the compasse of thy hips like iewels the worke of the hand of a cunning workeman HOw beautifull are thy feet O daughter of the Highest being shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and readily addressed to run the way of the commandements of thy God! thou art compassed about thy loines with the girdle of veritie which is both precious for the matter of it and cunningly framed by the skill of the spirit of truth 2. Thy nauell is as a round cup that wanteth not liquor thy bellie is as an heape of wheat compassed about with Lillies The nauell whereby all thy spirituall conceptions receiue their nourishment is full of all fruitfull supply and neuer wants meanes of sustenance to feed them in thy wombe which also is so plenteous in thy blessed increase that it is as an heape of wheat consisting of infinite pure graines which consort together with much sweetnesse and pleasure 3. Thy two brests are as two young Kids that are twinnes Thy two Testaments which are thy two full and comely brests by whose wholsome milke thou nourishest all thy faithfull children once borne into the light are for their excellent and perfect agreement and their amiable proportion like two twinnes of Kids 4. Thy necke is like a Tower of Iuorie thine eies are like artificiall pooles in a frequented gate thy nose is as the Tower of Lebanon that looketh toward Damascus Those who by their holy authoritie support thy gouernment which are as some straight and strong necke to beare vp thy head are for their height and defence like a Tower for their order purenesse and dignitie like a Tower of Iuory thy Teachers and Ministers which are thine eies are like vnto some cleare and artificiall ponds of water in a place of greatest resort wherein all commers may see the faces of their consciences and whence they may plentifully draw the Waters of life Thy nose by which all spirituall sents are conuayed to thee is perfectly composed and featured like some curious Turret of that goodly house in Lebanon so as thy iudgement and power of discerning the spirits is admirable for the order and excellencie thereof 5. Thine head vpon thee is as scarlet and the bush of thine head like purple the King is tied in thy beames The whole tyre of thine head which are the ceremonies vsed by thee are very gracefull and of high estimation and price to all the beholders and as for me I am so enamoured of thee that I am euen tied by my owne desire to a perpetuall presence in thine holy assemblies 6. How faire art thou and how pleasant art thou O my loue in pleasures Oh how beautifull and louely art thou therefore O my Church in all thy parts and ornaments how sweet and pleasant art thou O my Loue in whatsoeuer might giue me true contentment 7. This thy stature is like a Palme-tree and thy brests like clusters Thy whole frame is for goodlinesse and straight growth like vnto some tall Palme-tree which the more it is depressed by the violence of persecutions riseth the more and the two brests of thy Testaments are like two full iuicie clusters which yeeld comfortable and abundant refreshing 8. I said I will goe vp into the Palme-tree I will take hold of her boughs thy brests shall now be like the clusters of the Vines and the sauour of thy nose like Apples Seeing then thou art my Palme-tree I haue resolued in my selfe to adioine my selfe to thee to enioy thee to gather those sweet fruits of thy graces which thou yeeldest and by my presence also will cause thee to be more plentifull in all good workes and doctrine so as thou shalt afford abundance of heauenly liquor vnto all the thirstie soules of thy children and an acceptable verdure of holinesse and obedience vnto me 9. And the roofe of thy mouth like good wine which goeth straight vp to my Wel-beloued and causeth the lips of him that is asleepe to speake And the deliuerie of my Word by the mouthes of my Ministers shall be as some excellent wine which sparkleth right vpward being well accepted of that God in whose name it is taught and looketh most pleasantly in the glasse being no lesse highly esteemed of the receiuers which is of such wonderfull power that it is able to put words both of repentance and praise into the lips of him that lies asleepe in his sinnes The Church 10. I am my Wel-beloueds and his desire is toward me BEhold such as I am I am not my owne much lesse am I any others I am wholly my Sauiours and now I see and feele whatsoeuer I had deserued that hee is mine also in all intire affection who hath both chosen mee and giuen himselfe for mee 11. Come my Wel-beloued let vs goe into the fields let vs lodge in the villages Come therefore O my deare Sauiour let vs ioine together in our naturall care let thy Spirit and my seruice be intent vpon thy Congregations here below on earth and let vs stay in the place where our spirituall Husbandrie lieth 12. Let vs goe vp early in the morning to the Vines and see if the Vine flourish whether it hath disclosed the first Grapes or whether the Pomegranats blossome there will I giue thee my loue Let vs with all haste and cheerfulnesse visit the fruitfull vines of our beleeuing children and to our mutuall comfort be witnesses and partakers of all the signes and fruits of grace of all those good workes and thanksgiuings of those holy endeuours and worthy practices which they yeeld forth vnto vs let vs iudge of their forwardnesse and commend it whereupon it will easily appeare that the consummation of our happy mariage draweth neere in which there shall be a perfect vnion betwixt vs. 13. The Mandrakes haue giuen a smell and in our gates are all sweet things new and old my Well-beloued I haue kept them for thee Behold thy godly seruants which not onely beare fruit themselues but are powerfull in the prouocation of others present their best seruices vnto thee and euen at our doores not farre to seeke not hard to procure is offer made vnto thee of all variety of fruit whether from thy young Conuerts or thy more setled Professors and all these I spend not lauishly but in my louing care duely reserue them for thee and for the solemne day of our full mariage CHAP. VIII The Iewish Church 1. Oh that thou werest as my brother that sucked the brest of my mother I would finde thee without I would kisse thee then they should not despise me OH that
the faith and worship of the true God Miracles must be iudged by the doctrine which they confirme not the doctrine by the miracles The Dreamer or Prophet must bee esteemed not by the euent of his wonder but by the substance scope of his teaching The Romanists argue preposterously while they would proue the truth of their Church by miracles wheras they shold proue their miracles by the truth To say nothing of the fashion of their cures that one is prescribed to come to our Lady rather on a Friday as * * * * * Pag. 7 Henry Loyez another to wash nine dayes in the water of MONTAGV as Leonard Stocqueau another to eat a peece of the Oake where the image stood as * * * * * Histoire miracle de nostre Dame Pag 73. Pag. 102. Magdaleine the widow of Bruxelles All which if they sauor not strong of magicall receits let the indifferent iudge Surely either there is no sorcery or this is it All shall be plaine if the doctrine confirmed by their miracles be once discussed for if that be diuine truth we doe vniustly impugne these workes as diabolicall if falshood they doe blasphemously proclaime them for diuine These works tend all chiefly to this double doctrine that the blessed Virgin is to be inuoked for her mediation That God and Saints are to be adored in and by images Positions that would require a volume and such as are liberally disputed by others whereof one is against Scripture the other which in these cases values no lesse besides it One deifies the Virgin the other a stocke or stone It matters not what subtle distinctions their learned Doctors make betwixt mediatioÌ„ of Redemption Examen Pacifique de la doctrine dos Huguenots O sauueresse sauue moy Manuel of French praiers printed at Liege by approbation and authority of Anton Ghenatt Inquisitor c. and Intercession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saint and the Image We know their common people whose deuotion enriches those shrines by confession of their owne Writers climbe the hill of Zichem with this conceit that Mary is their Sauioresse that the stocke is their Goddesse which vnlesse it be true how doe their wonders teach them lies and therefore how from God But to take the first at best for the second is so grosse that were not the second Commandement by Papists purposely razed out of their Primiers children and carters would condemne it it cannot bee denyed that all the substance of prayer is in the heart the vocall sound is but a complement and as an outward case wherein our thoughts are sheathed That power cannot know the praier which knowes not the heart either then the Virgin is God for that shee knowes the heart or to know the heart is not proper to God or to know the heart and so our prayers is falsely ascribed to the Virgin and therfore these wonders which teach men thus to honor her are Doctors of lies so not of God There cannot be any discourse wherein it is more easie to bee tedious To end If prayers were but in words and Saints did meddle with all particularities of earthly things yet blessed Mary should bee a God if shee could at once attend all her suters One sollicits her at Halle another at Scherpenheuuel another at Luca at our Walsingham another one in Europe another in Asia or perhaps another is one of her new Clients in America Ten thousand deuout Suppliants are at once prostrate before her seuerall shrines If she cannot heare all why pray they If she can what can God doe more Certainly as the matter is vsed there cannot be greater wrong offered to those heauenly spirits then by our importunate superstitions to be thrust into Gods Throne and to haue forced vpon them the honors of their Maker There is no contradiction in heauen a Saint cannot allow that an Angell forbids See thou doe it not was the voyce of an Angell if all the miraculous blockes in the world shall speake contrary wee know whom to beleeue The old rule was * * * * * Let no man worship the Virgin Mary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either that rule is deuillish or this practice And if this practice bee ill God deliuer mee from the immediate author of these miracles Change but one Idoll for another and what differ the wonders of Apollos Temples from those of these Chappels We reuerence as we ought the memory of that holy and happy Virgin We hate those that dishonour her we hate those that deifie her Cursed be all honour that is stolne from God This short satisfaction I giue in a long question such as I dare rest in and resolue that all popish miracles are either falsely reported or falsly done or falsely miraculous or falsely ascribed to heauen To Mr. WILLIAM BEDELL at Venice EP. VII Lamenting the death of our late Diuines and exciting to their imitation WE haue heard how full of trouble and danger the Alpes were to you and did at once both pity your difficulties and reioyce in your safety Since your departure from vs Reynolds is departed from the world Alas how many worthy Lights haue our eyes seene shining and extinguisht How many losses haue we liued to see the Church sustaine and lament of her children of her pillers our owne and forraine I speake not of those which being excellent would needs be obscure whom nothing but their owne secrecy depriued of the honour of our teares There are besides too many whom the world noted and admired euen since the time that our common mother acknowledged vs for her sonnes Our Fulke led the way that profound ready and resolute Doctor the hammer of hereticks The 〈◊〉 of Truth whom your younger times haue heard oft disputing acutely and powerfully Next him followed that honour of our Schooles and Angell of our Church learned Whitakers than whom our age saw nothing more memorable what clearnesse of iudgement what sweetnesse of style what grauity of person what grace of cariage was in that man Who euer saw him without reuerence or heard him without wonder Soone after left the world that famous and illuminate Doctor Francis Iunius the glory of Leiden the other hope of the Church the Oracle of Textuall and Schoole-Diuinity rich in languages subtle in distinguishing and in argument invincible and his companion in labours Lu. Trelcatius would needs be his companion in ioyes who had doubted our sorrow and losse but that he recompenced it with a sonne like himselfe Soone after self old reuerend Beza a long fixed starre in this firmament of the Church who after many excellent monuments of learning and fidelity liued to proue vpon his aduersaries that hee was not dead at their day Neyther may I without iniury omit that worthy payre of our late Diuines Greâ—nham and Perkins whereof the one excelled in experimentall diuinitie knew well how to stay a weake conscience how to raise a
deserue You are a stranger to your selfe if you confesse not that God fauours you in this whip If he had stripped you of better things and scourged you with worse you should still haue acknowledged a mercifull iustice If you now repine at an easie correction you are worthy of seuerity Beware the next if you grudge and swell at this It is next to nothing which you suffer what can bee further from vs then these goods of outward estate You need not abate either health or mirth for their sakes If you doe now draw the affliction neerer then he which sent it and make a forraine euill domesticall if while God visits your estate you fetch it home to your body to your minde thanke your selfe that you will needs be miserable But if you loue not to fare ill take crosses as they are sent and goe lightly away with an easie burden EPISTLES THE SECOND VOLVME Containing TWO DECADS BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE SAME MOST GRATIOVS PATRONAGE OF THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE HENRY PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINE HIS Highnesses VNVVORTHY SERVANT humbly prostrates himselfe and his second Labour With continuall Apprecations of all Happinesse THE CONTENTS AND SVBIECT OF EVERY EPISTLE DECAD III. EP. 1. To M rr SMITH and Mr ROB. Ring-leaders of the late separation at Amsterdam Setting forth their iniury done to the Church the iniustice of their cause c. EP. 2 To Sr ANDREW ASTELEY A Discourse of our due preparation for death and the meanes to sweeten it EP. 3. To M. SAM BVRTON Of the tryall and choice of the true Religion iustifying of all religions the Christian of all Christian the reformed EP. 4 To Mr EDM. SLEIGH Of the hardnesse of true Christianitie and the abundant recompence in the pleasures and commodities thereof EP. 5 To Mr W. L. Expostulating the cause of his vnsetlednesse in religion where is shewed that our dissentions are no sufficient ground of his suspension EP. To Sr EDMVND LVCY Of the different degrees of glory and our mutuall knowledge aboue EP. 7 To Mr T. L. Aduising concerning the matter of diuorce in the case of knowne Adulterie EP. 8 To Mr ROBERT HAY. Of the continuall exercise of a Christian whereby he may he preserued from hardnesse of heart c. EP. 9 To Mr I. F. Merchant Of the lawfulnesse of conuersation and trade with Infidels and Heretiques how farre it holdeth and wherein EP. 10 To the Gentlemen of his Highnesse Court A description of a good and faithfull Courtier DECAD IV. EP. 1 To Mr WALTER FITZ WILLIAMS Of the true and lawful vse of pleasure c. EP. 2 To Mr W. E.DD to Mr ROB. IERMIN Of the bloody and sinfull vse of single combats and the vniust pretences for this vnchristian and false manhood EP. 3 To Mr MAT. MYLWARD Of the pleasure of study and contemplation c. EP. 4 To M.I.P. Of the increase of Popery of the Oath of Allegeance and the iust sufferings of those that haue refused it EP. 5 To my brother Mr SA HALL Of the charge and weight of the Ministeriall function with directions for due preparation to it answerable cariage in it EP. 6 To M. A. P. Of the signes and proofes of a true faith EP. 7 To Mr EDWARD ALLEYNE A direction how to conceiue of God in our deuotions and meditations EP. 8 To Mr THOMAS IAMES Of the reason of the Papists confidence in appealing to the Fathers applauding his worthy offers and indeuors of discouering the falsifications of Antiquitie EP. 9 To M. E. A. Of fleeing or stay in the time of pestilence whether lawfull for Minister or people EP. 10 To M.R.B. A complaint of the iniquity of the Times with a prescription of remedy THE THIRD DECAD To Mr Smith and Mr Rob. Ring-leaders of the late Separation at Amsterdam EP. I. Setting forth their iniury done to the Church the iniustice of their cause and fearfulnesse of their offence Censuring and aduising them WEe heare of your separation and mourne yet not so much for you as for your vvrong you could not doe a greater iniury to your mother then to fly from her Say shee were poore ragged weake say she were deformed yet shee is not infectious Or if shee vvere yet she is yours This were cause enough for you to lament her to pray for her to labour for her redresse not to auoid her This vnnaturalnesse is shamefull and more hainous in you who are reported not parties in this euill but authors Your flight is not so much as your mis-guidance Plead not this fault is past excuse If wee all should follow you this vvere the vvay of a Church as you plead imperfect to make no Church and of a remedie to make a disease Still the fruit of our charitie to you is besides our griefe pitie Your zeale of truth hath mis-led you and you others A zeale if honest yet blind-folded and led by selfe-will Oh that you loued Peace but halfe so well as Truth then this breach had neuer beene and you that are yet brethren had beene still companions Goe out of Babylon you say The voice not of Schisme but of holinesse Know you vvhere you are Looke about you I beseech you looke behinde you and see if wee haue not left it vpon our backs Shee her selfe feeles and sees that shee is abandoned and complaines to all the world that we haue not onely forsaken but spoiled her and yet you say Come out of Babylon And except you will bee willingly blinde you may see the heapes of her Altars the ashes of her Idols the ruines of her monuments the condemnation of her errours the reuenge of her abominations And are wee yet in Babylon Is Babylon yet amongst vs Where are the maine buildings of that accursed Citie those high and proud Towers of their vniuersall Hierarchie infallible iudgement dispensation vvith the Lawes of God and sinnes of men disposition of Kingdomes deposition of Princes parting stakes vvith God in our conuersion through freedom of vvil in our saluation through the merit of our vvorks Where are those rotten heapes rotten not through age but corruption of transubstantiating of bread adoring of Images multitude of Sacraments power of Indulgences necessitie of Confessions profit of Pilgrimages constrained and approued Ignorance vnknowne deuotions Where are those deepe vaults if not mynes of Penances and Purgatories and whatsoeuer hath beene deuised by those Popelings whether profitable or glorious against the Lord and his Christ Are they not all raced and buried in the dust Hath not the Maiestie of her Gods like as was done to Mithra and Serapis beene long agone offered to the publique laughter of the vulgar What is this but to goe yea to runne if not to fly out of Babylon But as euery man is an hearty Patron of his owne actions and it is a desperate cause that hath no plea you alledge our consorting in Ceremonies and say still we
nature veniall and not worthy of death more that our originall sinne is but the want of our first iustice no guilt of our first fathers offence no inherent ill disposition and that by Baptismall water is taken away what euer hath the nature of sinne that a meere man let mee not wrong Saint Peters successor in so tearming him hath power to remit both punishment and sinne past and future that many haue suffered more then their sinnes haue required that the sufferings of the Saints added to Christs passions make vp the treasure of the Church that spirituall Exchequer whereof their Bishop must keepe the key and make his friends In all these the gaine of Nature who sees not is Gods losse all her brauery is stolne from aboue besides those other direct derogations from him that his Scriptures are not sufficient that their originall fountaines are corrupted and the streames runne clearer that there is a multitude if a finite number of Mediators Turne your eyes now to vs and see contrarily how we abase Nature how wee knead her in the dust spoiling her of her proud rags loading her with reproaches and giuing glory to him that sayes he will not giue it to another whiles we teach that we neither haue good nor can doe good of our selues that we are not sicke or fettered but dead in our sinne that we cannot moue to good more then we are moued that our best actions are faulty our satisfactions debts our deserts damnation that all our merit is his mercy that saues vs that euery of our sinnes is deadly euery of our natures originally depraued and corrupted that no water can entirely wash away the filthinesse of our concupiscence that none but the blood of him that was God can cleanse vs that all our possible sufferings are below our offences that Gods written Word is all-sufficient to informe vs to make vs both wise and perfect that Christs mediation is more then sufficient to saue vs his sufferings to redeeme vs his obedience to inrich vs. You haue seene how Papistry makes Nature proud now see how it makes her lawlesse and wanton while it teacheth yet this one not so vniuersally that Christ dyed effectually for all that in true contrition an expresse purpose of new life is not necessarie that wicked men are true members of the Church that a lewd mis-creant or infidell in the businesse of the Altar partakes of the true body and blood of Christ yea which a shame to tell a brute creature that men may saue the labour of searching for that it is both easie and safe with that Catholike Collier to beleeue with the Church at a venture more then so that deuotion is the seed of ignorance that there is infallabilitie annexed to a particular place and person that the bare act of the Sacraments confers grace without faith that the meere signe of the Crosse made by a Iew or Infidell is of force to driue away Diuels that the sacrifice of the Masse in the very worke wrought auailes to obtaine pardon of our sinnes not in our life onely but when we lye frying in purgatory that we need not pray in faith to be heard or in vnderstanding that almes giuen merit heauen dispose to iustification satisfie God for sinne that abstinence from some meats and drinkes is meritorious that Indulgences may be granted to dispense vvith all the penance of sinnes afterward to bee committed that these by a liuing man may be applyed to the dead that one man may deliuer anothers soule out of his purging torments and therefore that hee who vvants not either money or friends need not feare the smart of his sinnes O religion sweet to the wealthy to the needy desperate who will now care henceforth how sound his deuotions be how lewd his life how hainous his sinnes that knowes these refuges On the contrary we curbe Nature we restraine we discourage we threaten her teaching her not to rest in implicit faiths or generall intensions or external actions of piety or presumptuous dispensations of men but to striue vnto sincere faith without which we haue no part in Christ in his Church no benefit by Sacraments prayers fastings beneficences to set the heart on worke in all our deuotions without which the hand and tongue are but hypocrites to set the hands on worke in good actions without which the presuming heart is but an hypocrite to expect no pardon for sinne before we commit it and from Christ alone when wee haue committed it and to repent before we expect it to hope for no chaffering no ransome of our soules from below no contrary change of estate after dissolution that life is the time of mercy death of retribution Now let me appeale to your soule and to the iudgement of all the vvorld whether of these two religions is framed to the humour of Nature yea let mee but know vvhat action Popery requires of any of her followers which a meere Naturalist hath not done cannot doe See how I haue chosen to beat them with that rod wherewith they thinke we haue so often smarted for what cauill hath beene more ordinary against vs then this of ease and liberty yea licence giuen and taken by our religion together with the vpbraidings of their owne strict and rigorous austerenesse Where are our penall workes our fastings scourges haire-cloth weary pilgrimages blushing confessions solemne vowes of willing beggery and perpetuall continencie To doe them right we yeeld in all the hard workes of will-worship they goe beyond vs but lest they should insult in the victory not so much as the Priests of Baal went beyond them I see their whips shew me their kniues Where did euer zealous Romanist lance and carue his flesh in deuotion The Baalites did it and yet neuer the wiser neuer the holier Either therefore this zeale in workes of their owne deuising makes them not better then we or it makes the Baalites better then they let them take their choise Alas these difficulties are but a colour to auoid greater No no to worke out stubborne wils to subiection to draw this vntoward flesh to a sincere cheerefulnesse in Gods seruice to reach vnto a sound beliefe in the Lord Iesus to pray with a true heart without distraction without distrust without mis-conceit to keepe the heart in continuall awe of God These are the hard tasks of a Christian worthy of our sweat worthy of our reioycing all which that Babylonish religion shifteth off with a carelesse fashionablenesse as if it had not to doe with the soule Giue vs obedience let them take sacrifice Doe you yet looke for more euidence looke into particulars and satisfie your selfe in Gods decision as Optatus aduised of old Since the goods of our father are in question whither should we goe but to his Will and Testament My soule beare the danger of this bold assertion If we erre wee erre with Christ and his Apostles In a word against all staggering our Sauiours rule
graces your owne heart shall be the iudge which haue sate without palenesse or trembling in that holy chaire and spoken as if the words had beene their owne satisfying themselues if not the hearers And doe you whose gifts many haue enuied stand quaking vpon the lowest staire Hath God giuen you that vnusuall variety of tongues still of Arts a stile worth emulation and which is worth all a faithfull and honest heart and doe you now shrinke backe and say Send him by whom thou shouldst send Giue God but what you haue he expects no more This is enough to honour him and crowne you Take heed while you complaine of want lest pride shroud it selfe vnder the skirts of modesty How many are thankfull for lesse You haue more then the most yet this contents you not it is nothing vnlesse you may equall the best if not exceed yea I feare how this may satisfie you vnlesse you may thinke your selfe such as you would be What is this but to grudge at the bestower of graces I tell you without flattery God hath great gaines by fewer talents set your heart to employ these and your aduantage shall be more then your masters Neither doe now repent you of the vnaduisednesse of your entrance God called you to it vpon an eternall deliberation meant to make vse of your suddennesse as a meanes to fetch you into his worke whom more leisure would haue found refractary Full little did the one Saul thinke of a kingdome when he went to seeke his fathers strayes in the land of Shalishah or the other Saul of an Apostleship when he went with his Commission to Damascus God thought of both and effected what they meant not Thus hath hee done to you acknowledge this hand and follow it He found and gaue both facultie and opportunity to enter find you but a will to proceed I dare promise you abundance of comfort How many of the Ancients after a forceable ordination became not profitable onely but famous in the Church But as if you sought shifts to discourage your selfe when you see you cannot maintaine this hold of insufficiency you flie to alienation of affection in the truth whereof none can controll you but your owne heart in the iustice of it we both may and must This plea is not for Christians we must affect what we ought in spight of our selues wherefore serues religion if not to make vs Lords of our owne affections If we must be ruled by our slaues what good should we doe Can you more dislike your station then we all naturally distaste goodnesse Shall we neglect the pursuit of vertue because it pleases not or rather displease and neglect our selues till it may please vs Let me not aske whether your affections be estranged but wherefore Diuinity is a mistresse worthy your seruice All other Arts are but drudges to her alone Fooles may contemne her who cannot iudge of true intellectuall beauty but if they had our eyes they could not but bee rauished with admiration You haue learned I hope to contemne their contempt and to pity iniurions ignorance Shee hath chosen you as a worthy client yea a fauorite and hath honored you with her commands and her acceptations who but you would plead strangenesse of affection How many thousands sue to her and cannot be lookt vpon You are happy in her fauours and yet complaine yea so farre as that you haue not stucke to thinke of a change No word could haue fallen from you more vnwelcome This is Satans policy to make vs out of loue with our callings that our labours may be vnprofitable and our standings tedious He knowes that all changes are fruitlesse and that while we affect to be other we must needs be weary of what wee are That there is no successe in any endeauor without pleasure that there can be no pleasure where the mind longs after alterations If you espy not this craft of the common enemy you are not acquainted with your selfe Vnder what forme soeuer it come repell it and abhorre the first motion of it as you loue your peace as you hope for your reward It is the misery of the most men that they cannot see when they are happy and whiles they see but the outside of others conditions prefer that which their experience teaches them afterwards to condemne not without losse and teares Far be this vnstablenesse from you which haue beene so long taught of God All vocations haue their inconueniencies which if they cannot be auoided must be digested The more difficulties the greater glory Stand fast therefore and resolue that this calling is the best both in it selfe and for you and know that it cannot stand with your Christian courage to run away from these incident euils but to encounter them Your hand is at the plough if you meet with some tough clods that will not easily yeeld to the share lay on more strength rather seek not remedy in your feet by flight but in your hands by a constant endeuour Away with this weake timerousnesse and wrongful humility Be cheerfull and couragious in this great worke of God the end shall be glorious your selfe happy and many in you EPISTLES THE SIXT DECAD BY IOS HALL LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. THE SIXT DECAD To my Lord DENNY EPIST. I. A particular account how our dayes are or should bee spent both common and holy EVery day is a little life and our whole life is but a day repeated whence it is that old Iacob numbers his life by dayes and Moses desires to bee taught this point of holy Arithmeticke To number not his yeares but his dayes Those therefore that dare lose a day are dangerously prodigall those that dare mis-spend it desperate We can best teach others by our selues let me tell your Lordship how I would passe my dayes whether common or sacred that you or whosoeuer others ouer hearing mee may either approue my thriftinesse or correct my errors To whom is the account of my houres either more due or more knowne All dayes are his who gaue time a beginning and continuance yet some hee hath made ours not to command but to vse In none may wee forget him in some wee must forget all besides him First therefore I desire to awake at those houres not when I will but when I must pleasure is not a fit rule for rest but health neither doe I consult so much with the Sunne as mine owne necessity whether of body or in that of the mind If this vassall could well serue me waking it should neuer sleepe but now it must be pleased that it may be seruiceable Now when sleepe is rather driuen away then leaues mee I would euer awake with God my first thoughts are for him who hath made the night for rest and the day for trauell and as he giues so blesses both If my heart bee early seasoned with his presence it will sauour of him all day
which thou hatest Satan hath no Dart I speake confidently that can pierce this shield Christians are indeed too oft surprized ere they can hold it out there is no small policy in the suddennesse of temptation but if they haue once setled it before their brest they are safe and their enemy hopelesse Vnder this head therefore there is sure remedy against sinne by looking vpwards backwards into our selues forwards Vpwards at the glorious Maiestie and infinite goodnesse of that God whom our sinne would offend and in whose face wee sinne whose mercies and whose holinesse is such that if there were no hell wee would not offend Backwards at the manifold fauours whereby we are obliged to obedience Into our selues at that honorable vocation wherewith hee hath graced vs that holy profession we haue made of his calling and grace that solemne vow and couenant whereby wee haue confirmed our profession the gracious beginnings of that Spirit in vs which is grieued by our sinnes yea quenched Forwards at the ioy which vvill follow vpon our forbearance that peace of conscience that happy expectation of glory compared with the momentarie and vnpleasing delight of a present sinne All these out of loue Feare is a retentiue as necessarie not so ingenuous It is better to be wonne then to be frighted from sinne to be allured then drawne Both are little inough in our pronenesse to euill Euill is the onely obiect of feare Herein therefore we must terrifie our stubbornnesse with both euils Of losse and of sense that if it be possible the horror of the euent may counteruaile the pleasure of the tentation Of losse remembring that now we are about to lose a God to cast away all the comforts and hopes of another world to rob our selues of all those sweet mercies we inioyed to thrust his spirit out of dores vvhich cannot abide to dwel vvithin the noisome stench of sinne to shut the doores of heauen against our selues Of sense That thus we giue Satan a right in vs power ouer vs aduantage against vs That wee make God to frowne vpon vs in heauen That we arme all his good creatures against vs on earth That we doe as it vvere take Gods hand in ours and scourge our selues with all temporall plagues and force his curses vpon vs and ours That we wound our owne consciences with sinnes that they may wound vs with euerlasting torments That we doe both make a hell in our breasts beforehand and open the gates of that bottomlesse pit to receiue vs afterwards That we doe now cast brimstone into the fire and lest wee should faile of tortures make our selues our owne fiends These and vvhat euer other terrors of this kinde must be laid to the soule vvhich if they be throughly vrged to an heart not altogether incredulous vvell may a man aske himselfe how he dare sinne But if neither this Sunne of mercies nor the tempestuous windes of iudgement can make him cast off Peters cloake of vvickednesse hee must be clad vvith confusion as vvith a cloake according to the Psalmist I tremble to thinke how many liue as if they vvere neither beholden to God nor afraid of him neither in his debt nor danger As if their heauen and hell vvere both vpon earth sinning not onely vvithout shame but not vvithout malice It is their least ill to doe euill Behold they speake for it ioy in it boast of it inforce to it as if they would send challenges into heauen and make loue to destruction Their lewdnesse cals for our sorrow and zealous obedience that our God may haue as true seruants as enemies And as vve see naturall qualities increased vvith the resistance of their contraries so must our grace vvith others sinnes vvee shall redeeme somewhat of Gods dishonour by sinne if vve shall thence grow holy To Mr Doctor MILBVRNE EP. IV. Discoursing how farre and wherein Popery destroyeth the foundation THe meane in all things is not more safe then hard whether to finde or keepe and as in all other moralitie it lyeth in a narrow roome so most in the matter of our censure especially concerning Religion wherein we are wont to be either carelesse or too peremptorie How farre and wherein Popery raceth the foundation is worth our inquirie I need not stay vpon words By foundation we meane the necessary grounds of Christian faith This foundation Papistry defaces by laying a new by casting down the old In these cases addition destroyes he that obtrudes a new word no lesse ouerthrowes the Scripture then he that denies the old yea this very obtrusion denies he that sets vp a new Christ reiects Christ Two foundations cannot stand at once the Arke and Dagon Now Papistry layes a double new foundation the one a new rule of faith that is a new vvord the other a new Author or guide of faith that is a new head besides Christ God neuer laid other foundation then in the Prophets and Apostles vpon their diuine writing he meant to build his Church which he therefore inspired that they might be like himselfe perfect and eternall Popery builds vpon an vnwritten word the voice of old but doubtfull Traditions the voice of the present Church that is as they interpret it theirs vvith no lesse confidence and presumption of certainty then any thing euer written by the singer of God If this be not a new foundation the old vvas none God neuer taught this holy Spouse to know any other husband then Christ to acknowledge any other head to follow any other Shepheard to obey any other King he alone may be enioyed without iealousie submitted to without danger without error beleeued serued without scruple Popery offers to impose on Gods Church a King Shepheard Head Husband besides her own A man a man of sinne He must know all things can erre in nothing direct informe animate command both in earth and Purgatorie expound Scriptures canonize Saints forgiue sinnes create new Articles of Faith and in all these is absolute and infallible as his Maker who sees not that if to attribute these things to the Son of God be to make him the foundation of the Church then to ascribe them to another is to contradict him that said Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ To lay a new foundation doth necessarily subuert the old yet see this further actually done in particulars wherin yet this distinction may cleare the way The foundation is ouerthrown two wayes either in flat tearmes when a maine principle of faith is absolutely denyed as the deity and consubstantialitie of the Son by Arrius the Trinity of persons by Sabellius and Seruetus the resurrection of the body by Himeneus Philetus the last Iudgement by S. Peters mockers Or secondly by consequent vvhen any opinion is maintained which by iust sequel ouer-turneth the truth of that principle which the defendant professes to hold yet so as he will not grant the necessitie of that deduction So
Rulers in Christ's time were notoriously couetous proud oppressing cruell superstitious our Sauiour feared not polluting in ioyning with them and was so farre from separating himselfe that hee called and sent others to them But a little Leauen leauens the whole lumpe it is true by the infection of it sinne where it is vnpunished spreadeth it sowreth all those whose hands are in it not others If we dislike it detest desist reproue and mourne for it we cannot bee tainted the Corinthian loue-feasts had grosse and sinfull disorder yet you heare not Paul say Abstaine from the Sacrament till these be reformed Rather he enioynes the act and controules the abuse God hath bidden you heare and receiue shew me where he hath said except others be sinfull Their vncleannesse can no more defile you then your holinesse can excuse them But while I communicate you say I consent God forbid It is sinne not to cast out the deseruing but not yours vvho made you a Ruler and a Iudge The vncleane must bee separated not by the people Would you haue no distinction betwixt priuate and publike persons What strange confusion is this And what other then the old note of Corah and his company Yee take too much vpon you seeing all the Congregation is holy euery one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye vp your selues aboue the Congregation of the Lord What is if this be not to make a Monster of Christs body hee is the head his Church the body consisting of diuers limbes All haue their seuerall faculties and imployments not euery one all vvho would imagine any man so absurd as to say that this bodie should be all tongue or all hands euery man a Teacher euery man a Ruler As Christ had said to euery man Goe teach and whose sinnes yee remit How senselesse are these two extreames Of the Papists that one man hath the Keyes Of the Brownists that euery man hath them But these priuiledges and charges are giuen to the Church True to be executed by her Gouernors the facultie of speech is giuen to the vvhole man but the vse of it to the proper instrument Man speaketh but by his tongue if a voice should be heard from his hand eare foot it were vnnaturall Now if the tongue speake not when it ought shall we bee so foolish as to blame the hand But you say if the tongue speake not or speake ill the whole man smarteth the man sinneth I grant it but you shall set the naturall body on too hard a rack if you straine it in all things to the likenesse of the spirituall or ciuill The members of that being quickned by the same soule haue charge of each other and therefore either stand or fall together It is not so in these If then notwithstanding vnpunished sinnes we may ioyne with the true Church Whether is ours such You doubt and your solicitors deny surely if we haue many enormities yet none worse then rash and cruell iudgement let them make this a colour to depart from themselues there is no lesse woe to them that call good euill To iudge one man is bold and dangerous Iudge then vvhat it is to condemn a vvhole Church God knowes as much vvithout cause as without shame Vaine men may libell against the Spouse of Christ her husband neuer diuorced her No his loue is still aboue their hatred his blessings aboue their censures Do but aske them were we euer the true Church of God If they deny it Who then were so Had God neuer Church vpon earth since the Apostles time till Barrow and Greenwood arose And euen then scarce a number nay when or where vvas euer any man in the vvorld except in the schooles perhaps of Donatus or Nouatus that taught their doctrine and now still hath he none but in a blind lane at Amsterdam Can you thinke this probable If they affirme it when ceased we Are not the points controuerted still the same The same gouernment the same doctrine Their minds are changed not our estate Who hath admonished euinced excommunicated vs and when All these must be done Will it not be a shame to say that Francis Iohnson as he tooke power to excommunicate his Brother and Father so had power to excommunicate his Mother the Church How base and idle are these conceits Are wee then Heretikes condemned in our selues Wherein ouerthrow wee the foundation What other God Sauiour Scriptures Iustification Sacraments Heauen do they teach besides vs Can all the Masters of Separation yea can all the Churches in Christendome set forth a more exquisite and worthy confession of faith then is contained in the Articles of the Church of England Who can hold these and bee hereticall Or from which of these are we reuolted But to make this good they haue taught you to say that euery truth in Scripture is fundamentall so fruitfull is errour of absurdities Whereof still one breeds another more deformed then it selfe That Trophimus vvas left at Miletum sicke that Pauls Cloake was left at Troas that Gaius Pauls hoast saluted the Romanes that Nabal was drunke or that Thamar baked Cakes and a thousand of this nature are fundamentall how large is the Separatists Creed that hath all these Articles If they say all Scripture is of the same Author of the same authoritie so say we but not of the same vse is it as necessarie for a Christian to know that Peter hosted with one Simon a Tanner in Ioppa as that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God vvas borne of the Virgin Mary What a monster is this of an opinion that all truths are equall that this spirituall house should be all foundation no walls no roofe Can no man be saued but he that knowes euery thing in Scripture Then both they and vvee are excluded heauen would not haue so many as their Parlor at Amsterdam Can any man be saued that knowes nothing in Scripture It is farre from them to be so ouercharitable to affirme it you see then that both all truths must not of necessitie bee knowne and some must and these we iustly call fundamentall which who so holdeth all his hay and stubble through the mercy of God condemne him not stil he hath right to the Church on earth and hope in heauen but whether euery truth bee fundamentall or necessarie discipline you say is so indeed necessarie to the well-being of a Church no more it may be true without it not perfect Christ compares his Spouse to an Army with banners as order is to an Armie so is discipline to the Church if the troopes be not well marshalled in their seuerall rankes and moue not forward according to the discipline of warre it is an Armie still confusion may hinder their successe it cannot bereaue them of their name it is as beautifull proportion to the bodie an hedge to a vineyard a wall to a City an hem to a garment feeling to an house It may be a body vineyard
citie garment house without them it cannot be well and perfect yet which of our aduersaries will say we haue no discipline Some they grant but not the right as if they said Your Citie hath a bricke wall indeed but it should haue one of hewne stone your Vineyard is hedged but it should be paled and ditched while they cauill at what we want we thanke God for what we haue and so much wee haue in spight of all detraction as makes vs both a true Church and a worthy one But the maine quarrell is against our Ministerie and forme of worship let these be examined this is the circle of their censure No Church therefore no Ministery and no Ministerie therefore no Church vnnaturall sonnes that spit in the face of those spirituall Fathers that begot them and the Mother that bore them What vvould they haue Haue we not competent gifts from aboue for so great a function Are wee all vnlearned vnsufficient Not a man that knowes to diuide the word aright As Paul to the Corinths Is it so that there is not one wise man amongst vs No man will affirme it some of them haue censured our excesse in some knowledge none our defect in all What then Haue wee not a true desire to doe faithfull seruice to God and his Church No zeale for Gods glory Who hath been in our hearts to see this Who dare vsurpe vpon God and condemne our thoughts Yea wee appeale to that onely Iudge of hearts whether he hath not giuen vs a sincere longing for the good of his Sion he shall make the thoughts of all hearts manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God If then we haue both ability and will to doe publike good our inward calling which is the maine point is good and perfect for the outward what want we Are wee not first after good tryall presented and approued by the learned in our Colledges examined by our Church-gouernors ordain'd by imposition of hands of the Eldership allowed by the Congregations we are set ouer doe wee not labour in word and doctrine doe we not carefully administer the Sacraments of the Lord Iesus haue we not by our publike meanes wonne many soules to God what should we haue and doe more All this and yet no true Ministers we passe very little to bee iudged of them or of mans day but our Ordainers you say are Antichristian surely our censurers are vnchristian tho we should grant it some of vs vvere baptized by Hereticks is the Sacrament annihilated and must it be redoubled How much lesse Ordination vvhich is but an outward admission to preach the Gospell God forbid that we should thus condemne the innocent more hands vvere laid vpon vs then one and of them for the principall except but their perpetuall honour and some few immateriall rites let an enemie say what they differ from Super-intendents and can their double honour make them no Elders If they haue any personall faults why is their calling scourged Looke into our Sauiours times vvhat corruptions were in the very Priesthood It vvas now made annuall which was before fixed and singular Christ saw these abuses and was silent here was much dislike and no clamour we for lesse exclaime and separate euen personall offences are fetcht into the condemnation of lawfull courses God giue both pardon and redresse to this foule vncharitablenesse Alas how ready are we to tosse the fore-part of our Wallet whiles our own faults are ready to breake our necks behind vs all the world sees and condemnes their Ordination to be faulty yea none at all yet they cry out first on vs craftily I thinke left we should complaine that Church-gouernors should ordaine Ministers hath bin the constant practice of the Church from Christs time to this houre I except onely in an extreame desolation meerely for the first course that the people should make their Ministers was vnheard of in all ages and Churches till Bolton Browne and Barrow and hath neither colour nor example Doth not this comparison seeme strange and harsh Their Tradesmen may make true Ministers our Ministers cannot who but they would not be ashamed of such a position Or who but you would not thinke the time mis-spent in answering it No lesse friuolous are those exceptions that are taken against our worship of God condemned for false and idolatrous whereof Volumes of Apologies are written by others we meet together pray reade heare preach sing administer and receiue Sacraments wherein offend we How many Gods doe we pray to or to whom but the True God In what words but holy whom do we preach but the same Christ vvith them what point of faith not theirs What Sacraments but those they dare not but allow Where lyes our Idolatry that we may let it out In the manner of performing in set Prayers Antichristian Ceremonies of crossing kneeling c. For the former what sinne is this The original and truth of prayer is in the heart the voice is but as accidentall if the heart may often conceiue the same thought the tongue her seruant may often vtter it in the same words and if dayly to repeat the same speeches bee amisse then to entertaine the same spirituall desires is sinfull to speake once vvithout the heart is hypocriticall but to speake often the same request with the heart neuer offendeth What intolerable boldnesse is this to condemne that in vs which is recorded to haue been the continuall practice of Gods Church in al successions Of the Iewes in the time of Moses Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Ezekiah Ieremie Of the ancient Christian assemblies both Greeke and Latine and now at this day of all reformed Churches in Christendome yea which our Sauiour himselfe so directly allowed and in a manner prescribed and the blessed Apostles Paul and Peter in all their formall salutations which were no other then set prayers so commonly practised for the other lest I exceed a Letter tho wee yeeld them such as you imagine worse they cannot bee they are but Ceremonious appendances the body and substance is sound Blessed be God that we can haue his true Sacraments at so easie a rate as the payment if they were such of a few circumstantiall inconueniences how many deare children of God in all ages euen neere the golden times of the Apostles haue gladly purchased them much dearer and not complained but see how our Church imposes them not as to binde the conscience otherwise then by the common bond of obedience not as actions wherein Gods worship essentially consisteth but as themselues Ceremonies comely or conuenient not necessarie whatsoeuer is this a sufficient ground of separation How many moderate and wiser spirits haue we that cannot approue the Ceremonies yet dare not forsake the Church and that hold your departure farre more euill then the cause You are inuited to a feast if but a Napkin or Trencher be mis-placed or a dish ill carued do you run from the Table and not
stay to thanke the Hoast Either bee lesse curious or more charitable Would God both you and all other vvhich either fauour the Separation or professe it could but reade ouer the ancient stories of the Church to see the true state of things and times the beginnings proceedings increases encounters yeeldings restaurations of the Gospell what the holy Fathers of those first times were glad to swallow for peace what they held practised found left whosoeuer knowes but these things cannot separate and shal not be contented only but thankfull God shall giue you still more light in the meane time vpon the perill of my soule stay and take the blessed offers of your God in peace And since Christ saith by my hand will you also goe away Answer him with that worthy Disciple Master whither shall I goe from thee thou hast the words of eternall life To Mr J. B. EP. VI. A complaint of the mis-education of our Gentry I Confesse I cannot honour blood without good qualities not spare it with ill There is nothing that I more desire to be taught then what is true Nobilitie What thanke is it to you that you are borne well If you could haue lost this priuiledge of Nature I feare you had not beene thus farre Noble that you may not plead desert you had this before you vvere long ere you could either know or preuent it you are deceiued if you thinke this any other then the bodie of Gentilitie the life and soule of it is in noble and vertuous disposition in gallantnesse of spirit vvithout haughtinesse vvithout insolence vvithout scornfull ouerlinesse shortly in generous qualities cariage actions See your errour and know that this demeanor doth not answer an honest birth If you can follow all fashions drink all healths weare fauours good cloathes consort vvith Ruffianly companions sweare the biggest oathes quarrell easily fight desperately game in euery inordinate Ordinarie spend your patrimonie ere it fall looke on euery man betwixt scorne and anger vse gracefully some gestures of apish complement talke irreligiously dallie vvith a Mistris or which terme is plainer hunt after Harlots take smoake at a Play-house and liue as if you vvere made all for sport you thinke you haue done enough to merit both of your blood and others opinions Certainly the vvorld hath no basenesse if this be generositie well-fare the honest and ciuill rudenesse of the obscure sonnes of the earth if such be the graces of the eminent The shame whereof me thinkes is not so proper to the wildnesse of youth as to the carelesnesse or vanity of Parents I speake it boldly our Land hath no blemish comparable to the mis-education of our Gentry Infancie and youth are the seed-times of all hopes if those passe vnseasonably no fruit can be expected from our age but shame and sorrow vvho should improue these but they vvhich may command them I cannot altogether complaine of our first yeares How like are wee to children in the training vp of our children Giue a childe some painted Babe hee ioyes in it at first sight and for some dayes vvill not abide it out of his hand or bosome but when he hath sated himselfe with the new pleasure of that guest he now after a while casts it into corners forgets it and can looke vpon it vvith no care Thus doe we by ours Their first times findes vs not more fond then carefull vve doe not more follow them vvith our loue then ply them with instruction When this delight begins to grow stale we begin to grow negligent Nothing that I know can bee faulted in the ordering of Childhood but indulgence Foolish Mothers admit of Tutors but debar rods These while they desire their children may learne but not smart as is said of Apes kill their yong ones vvith loue for vvhat can worke vpon that age but feare And what feare without correction Now at last vvith what measure of Learning their owne vvill would vouchsafe to receiue they are too early sent to the common Nurseries of Knowledge There vnlesse they fall vnder carefull tuition they study in jest and play in earnest In such vniuersall meanes of Learning all cannot fall besides them vvhat their company what their recreation vvould either instill or permit they bring home to their glad Parents Thence are they transplanted to the Collegiate Innes of our common Lawes and there too many learne to be lawlesse and to forget their former little Pauls is their Westminster their Studie an Ordinarie or Play-house or Dancing-schoole and some Lambert their Ploydon And now after they haue not without much expence learned fashions and licentiousnesse they returne home full of welcomes and gratulations By this time some blossomes of youth appearing in their face admonish their Parents to seeke them some seasonable match Wherein the Father inquires for wealth the sonne for beauty perhaps the mother for Parentage scarce any for Vertue for Religion Thus setled What is their care their discourse yea their Trade but either an Hound or an Hawke And it is vvell if no worse And now they so liue as if they had forgotten that there were bookes Learning is for Priests and Pedants for Gentlemen pleasure Oh! that either wealth or vvit should be cast away thus basely That euer reason should grow so debauched as to thinke any thing more worthy then knowledge With what shame and emulation may wee looke vpon other Nations whose apish fashions we can take vp in the channels neglecting their imitable examples and with what scorne doe they looke vpon vs They haue their solemne Academies for all those qualities which may accomplish Gentility from which they returne richly furnished both for action and speculation They account knowledge and abilitie of discourse as essentiall to greatnesse as blood neither are they more aboue the vulgar in birth then in vnderstanding They trauell with iudgement and returne with experience so doe they follow the exercises of the body that they neglect not the culture of the minde From hence growes ciuilitie and power to manage affaires either of Iustice or State From hence incouragement to learning and reuerence from inferiors For those onely can esteeme knowledge which haue it and the common sort frame either obseruance or contempt out of the example of their Leaders Amongst them the sonnes of Nobles scorne not either Merchandize or learned professions and hate nothing so much as to doe nothing I shame and hate to thinke that our Gallants hold there can bee no disparagement but in honest callings Thus perhaps I haue abated the enuy of this reproofe by communicating it to more which I had not done but that the generalitie of euill importunes redresse I well see that either good or euill descends In vaine shall we hope for the reformation of the many while the better are disordered Whom to solicite herein I know not but all How glad should I be to spend my light to the snuffe for the effecting of this I can but
perswade and pray these I will not faile of The rest to him that both can amend and punish To M. IONAS REIGESBERGIVS in ZELAND EP. VII Written some whiles since concerning some new opinions then broached in the Churches of HOLLAND and vnder the name of Arminius then liuing perswading all great wits to a study and care of the common peace of the Church and disswading from all affectation of singularity I Receiued lately a short relation of some new Paradoxes from your Leiden you would know what wee thinke I feare not to be censured as medling your truth is ours The Sea cannot diuide those Churches whom one faith vnites I know not how it comes to passe that most men while they too much affect ciuilitie turne flatterers and plaine truth is most-where counted rudenesse He that tels a sicke friend he lookes ill or termes an angry tumour the Gowt or a waterish swelling Dropsie is thought vnmannerly For my part I am glad that I was not borne to feed humors How euer you take your owne euils I must tell you we pitie you and thinke you haue iust cause of deiection and we for you not for any priuate cares but which touch a Christian neerest the Common-wealth of God Behold after all those hils of carkases and streames of blood your ciuill sword is sheathed wherein we neither congratulate nor feare your peace lo now in stead of that another while the spirituall sword is drawne and shaken and it is well if no more Now the politick State sits still the Church quarrels Oh! the insatiable hostilitie of our great enemy with what change of mischiefes doth he afflict miserable man No sooner did the Christian world begin to breathe from persecution but it was more punished with Arrianisme when the red Dragon cannot deuoure the childe hee tryes to drowne the mother and when the vvaters faile he raises warre Your famous Iunius had nothing more admirable then his loue of peace when our busie Separatists appealed him with what a sweet calmnesse did he reiect them and with a graue importunitie call'd them to moderation How it would haue vexed his holy soule now out of the danger of passions to haue foreseene his chaire troublesome God forbid that the Church should finde a Challenger in stead of a Champion Who vvould thinke but you should haue bin taught the benefit of peace by the long vvant But if your temporal state besides either hope or beleefe hath growne wealthy with warre like those Fowles which fatten vvith hard weather yet bee too sure that these spirituall broyles cannot but impouerish the Church yea affamish it It vvere pitie that your Holland should bee still the Amphitheatre of the world on whose scaffolds all other Nations should sit see varietie of bloody shews not without pitie and horror If I might challenge ought in that your acute and learned Arminius I would thus solicit and coniure him Alas that so wise a man should not know the worth of peace that so noble a sonne of the Church should not bee brought to light without ripping the vvombe of his mother What meane these subtil Nouelties If they make thee famous and the Church miserable vvho shall gaine by them Is singularitie so precious that it should cost no lesse then the safety and quiet of our common mother If it be truth thou affectest what alone Could neuer any eyes till thine be blessed with this obiect where hath that sacred veritie hid her selfe thus long from all her carefull Inquisitors that shee now first shewes her head to thee vnsought Hath the Gospell shined thus long and bright and left some corners vnseene Away with all new truths faire and plausible they may be sound they cannot some may admire thee for them none shall blesse thee But grant that some of these are no lesse true then nice points what doe these vnseasonable crochets and quauers trouble the harmonious plaine-songs of our peace Some quiet error may bee better then some vnruly truth Who binds vs to speake all we thinke So the Church may be still would God thou wert wise alone Did not our aduersaries quarrell enough before at our quarrels Were they not rich enough with our spoiles By the deare name of our common parents vvhat meanest thou Arminius Whither tend these new-rais'd dissensions Who shall thriue by them but they which insult vpon vs and rise by the fall of truth who shall be vndone but thy brethren By that most precious and bloodie ransome of our Sauiour and by that awfull appearance we shall once make before the glorious Tribunall of the Sonne of God remember thy selfe and the poore distracted limmes of the Church Let not those excellent parts wherewith God hath furnished thee lye in the narrow vvay and cause any weake one either to fall or stumble or erre For Gods sake either say nothing or the same How many great wits haue sought no by-paths and now are happy vvith their fellowes Let it bee no disparagement to goe vvith many to heauen What could he reply to so plaine a charge No distinction can auoid the power of simple truth I know he heares not this of me first Neither that learned and vvorthy Fran. Gomarus nor your other graue fraternitie of reuerend Diuines haue beene silent in so maine a cause I feare rather too much noise in any of these tumults There may too many contend not intreat Multitude of suters is commonly powerfull how much more in iust motions But if either he or you shal turne me home and bid mee spend my little moisture vpon our owne brands I grant there is both the same cause and the same need This counsell is no whit further from vs because it is directed to you Any Reader can change the person I lament to see that euery where peace hath not many clients but fewer louers yea euen many of those that praise her follow her not Of old the very Nouatian men women children brought stones and morter vvith the Orthodoxe to the building of the Church of the resurrection and ioyned louingly with them against the Arrians lesser quarrels diuide vs and euery diuision ends in blowes and euery blow is returned and none of all lights beside the Church Euen the best Apostles dissented neither knowledge nor holinesse can redresse all differences True but wisdome and charitie could teach vs to auoid their preiudice If we had but these two vertues quarrels should not hurt vs nor the Church by vs But alas selfe-loue is too strong for both these This alone opens the floud-gates of dissension and drownes the sweet but low valley of the Church Men esteeme of opinions because their owne and will haue truth serue not gouerne What they haue vndertaken must bee true Victory is sought for not satisfaction victory of the Author not of the cause Hee is a rare man that knowes to yeeld as well as to argue vvhat should we doe then but bestow our selues vpon that vvhich
Sauiour therefore as behooueth first shewes the falshood of their Glosses and the hollownesse of their profession and if both their life and doctrine be naught what free part is there in them And loe both of these so faulty that Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen What were the men What was their righteousnesse What wanted it Follow me I beseech you in these three and if my discourse shall seeme for a while more thorny and perplexed remedy it with your attention Those things which are out of the ken of sense or memory must be fetcht from Story The Sect or order whether of the Pharises ceased with the Temple since that no man reads of a Pharise and now is growne so farre out of knowledge that the modern Iewes are more ready to learne of vs who they were There is no point wherein it is more difficult to auoid variety yea ostentation of reading without any curious trauersing of opinions I study for simple truth as one that will not lead you out of the rode-way to shew you the turnings Ezr. 6.7 Scribes were ancient Ezra is called Sopher â—ahir a prompt Scribe As long before him so euer since they continued till Christs time but in two rankes some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some popular others legall Some the peoples others Gods the one Secretaries Recorders Notaries as 2 Chron 24. Ier. 8.8 11. Sopher hamelec the Kings Scribe The other Doctors of the Law of God The Law of the Lord is with vs in vaine made he it the penne of the Scribe is in vaine As the Pharises were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law-masters so these are the same which Luke 11.45 are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpreters of the Law Tho to some not meane Critickes it seemes these should be a third sort which consider not that our Sauiour on purpose addressing his speech to the Pharises fell by the way vpon the Scribes and being admonished by one of them as of an ouer-sight now auerres right downe of the Scribes what before he had but indifferently glanced at Neh. 8.4 Mat. 23. â— Clerics Iudaeorâ— saith Ierome What they were is plaine by Ezraes pulpit and Moses his chaire These and Pharises differed not so much they agreed in some good but in more euill But the profession of Pharises because it is more obscure you shall giue me leaue to fetch somewhat further Euseb eccl hist l. 4. c. 22. Erant in circumcisione diuersae sententia quae maximè tribu Iudae aduersabantur c. vide Ios Scalig. resp ad SeraruÌ„ Orig. lib. 5. aduers Cels Christianos noÌ„ habere veraÌ„ religionem quòd in varias sectas diuisi essent Domus Samâ—rai Hillel Ar. Mont. in Euanâ— Anâ—e aduentum Chriâ—ti noâ—â—ot tam blasphemae haereses iren lib. â— Act. 15.5 There were saith old Egesippus as Eusebius cites him diuers opinions in the Circumcision which all crossed the Tribe of Iuda Essens Galileans Emerobaptists Masbutheans Samaritans Pharises Sadduces It were easie to helpe him with more Sebuaeans Cannaeans Sampsaeans and if need were yet more Where are those wauerers that stagger in their trust to the Church because of different opinions receiuing that rotten argument of profane Celsus against the Christians Say the Papists one saith I am Caluins another I am Luthers We disclaime we defie these titles these diuisions we are one in truth would God we were yet more one It is the lace and fringe of Christs garment that is questioned amongst vs the cloath is sound But what Was the Iewish Church before Christ Gods true Church or not If it were not which was it If it were lo that here rent in more then eight parts and one of them differing from it selfe in eighteene opinions and yet as Irenaeus well obserues before Christ there were neither so many heresies nor so blasphemous Shew me a Church on earth without these wrinkles of diuision and I will neuer seeke for it in heauen although to some Pharisaime seemes rather a seuerall order then a sect but S. Luke that knew it better hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sect of the Pharises When the Profession began no history recordeth Some would faine fetch them Esay 65.5 Touch me not for I am holter then thou But these straine too farre for in the verse before the same men eate Swines flesh which to the Pharises is more then piacular Heare briefly their name their original their office Their name though it might admit of other probable deriuations yet by consent of all * * In eam conseâ—tinâ—nt omnes Hebraâ— tâ—â—e Bahal Harneb Pagnin in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Montanus Ios Scal. I. Drusius c. Hebrew Doctors I haue a great author for it is fetcht from separation tho vpon what grounds all agree not doubtlesse for the perfection of their doctrine and austerity of life Their originall is more intricate which after some scanning I haue thus learned of some great Masters of Iewish Antiquities Before there was any open breach in the old Iewish Church there were two generall and diuers conceits about Gods seruice One that tooke vp onely with the law of God and if they could keepe that thought they needed no more neither would they sapere supra scriptum be wiser then their Maker These were called Karraim of which sort there are diuers at this day in Constantinople and othere-where at deadly feode with the other Iewes which they now call Rabbinists The other that thought it small thankes to doe onely what they were bidden Gods Law was too straight for their holinesse It was nothing vnlesse they did more then content God earne him for these were popish Iewes and supererrogate of him These were therefore called Chasidim Holy aboue the Law They plyed God with vnbidden oblations gaue more then needed did more then was commanded yet so as both parts pleased themselues resisted not the other The more franke sort vpbraided not the other with too much niggardlinesse neither did the straiter-handed enuy the other for too much lauishnesse Would God we could doe thus They agreed though they differed But now when these voluntary seruices began to bee drawne into Canons as Scaliger speaketh and that which was before but arbitrarie was imposed as necessarie necessary for beleefe necessary for action questions arose and the rent began in the Iewes Those dogmaticall Doctors which stood for supererogation and traditions aboue Law were called Peruschim Pharises separate from the other in strict iudgement in superfluous holinesse These as they were the brood of those Chasidim whom wee finde first mentioned in the Machabees by the corrupt name of Asideans 1 Mac. 2.47 so from them againe in a second succession proceeded as their more refined issue the Essens Acts 26.5 Eruditius caeteris legem exponunt Phar. Ios l. 1. de bello
And therefore he must haue one henchman on the right hand to carry a Crowne and a Bible with an inscription On the left another that carried a sword naked and a ball of Gold Himselfe in great state carries a globe of Gold with two swords a crosse His pressing yron and sheeres would haue become him better And if I should looke to heathenish Antiquitie I should need to say no more than that the Aegyptian Hieroglyphicks whereof they say Horus Apollo was the inventor were nothing else but Emblems and Impreses among the rest it is memorable that Ruffinus reports that the signe of the Crosse was one of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their antient figures long before CHRIST which saith he signified to them eternall life and Socrates adds that when they found the signe of the Crosse in templo Serapidis the Heathen and Christians contended for it each challenged it for theirs and when the Heathen knowing the signification of it saw it thus fulfilled to the Christians many of them converted to Christianitie Be it farre from vs to put any superstition in this I thinke it done by the same instinct whereby the Sybils prophesied of Christ And as Armes and Embleticall deuices are thus ancient and commendable so more directly Posyes and words whether for instruction or distinction are here warranted So the word of a faithfull King is Dominus mihi adiutor or when hee would thankfully ascribe his peace to God Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici so of a good Prince either I serue to expresse his officious care Or One of your owne to signifie his respectiue loue So the good Statesman's should be giuen him by Salomon Non est consilium contra Dominū No police against the Lord A good Courtier 's by Samuel Honorantes me honorabo A good Bishop's by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in season out of season A good Subiect's Not for feare but Conscience A good Christians Christus mihi viuere est So the Israelites were charged to make their Embleme the Law of God for their posts for their garments But these things may not be written vpon our walls or shields onely They must be written vpon our hearts else wee are as very painted walls as our walls themselues Else we shall be like some Inne that hath a Crowne for the signe without and within there is none but pesants or a Rose vpon the post without and nothing but sluttishnesse and filth within Or an Angell without and nothing within but lewd drunkards As it is said of God Dixit factum est So also scripsit factum est They shall be written holy that is they shall bee made holy Happy is it for vs tho wee write no new Emblems of our owne if wee can haue this holy Imprese of God written not in foreheads but in our hearts Holinesse to the Lord. Thus much of the Embleme or word Now for the subiect and circumstances In that day aboue this there is the proficiencie of the Church Holinesse shall bee written vpon the Bells prophane things shall bee holy There is the sanctification of the Church The Bells of warlike horses shall bee turned to the quiet vse of Religion There is the religious peace of the Church Thirdly the pots to seeth in shall bee as Bowles to offer vp incense in There is the degrees of the Churches perfection so that heere arise foure heads of our speech The proficiencie Sanctification Peace Perfection of the Church All which craue your gracious and Christian attention or lest I be too long two of them onely When therefore shall this be fulfilled Not vnder the Law It had beene a great profanation For none but the High-Priest might weare this Posie The place oft-times disparages As to put the Arke of God into a Cart or to set it by Dagon It is vnder the Gospell that this posie of Holinesse shall be so common In ille die and this is that day How great is this proficiencie of the Church Looke how much difference there is betweene one and many betweene the holiest of men and an ordinary beast betweene the frontall of the High-Priest and the Bells of horses so much there must be betwixt the Church in that day and in this It is the fashion of the true Church to grow vp still from worse to better as it is said of the head of the Church Crescebat corroborabatur As it is compared to stones for firmnesse so to grifts for growth Yea the Kingdome of heauen is like a graine of mustard-seed that of the least seed proues the greatest plant in his kinde the riuer of God flowes first vp to the ankles then to the knees and at last to the chin The Church was an Embryo till Abrahams time In swathing-bands till Moses In child-hood till Christ A man in Christ A man full-growne in glory As man is an Epitome of the World so is euery Christian an abridgement of the Church Best at last In illa die Hee is like to the feast of Cana where the best wine was brought in last not naturally but by transmutation It was a blasphemous and mee thinkes a Vorstian reason that Tostatus brings why God did not create the voyces out of the Propitiatorie Quia Deus non potest agere per succcessionem Surelie in vs hee doth and as wee can doe nothing in instante no more doth God in vs. As in the Creation hee could haue made all at once but hee would take dayes for it so in our re-creation by grace As naturall so spirituall agents doe agere per moram That rule of Aquinas is sure Successiuorum non simul est esse perfectio to which that accords of Tertullian Perfectio ordine post-humat There must be an illa dies for our full stature till which if we be true Christians we must grow from strength to strength herein grace is contrary to nature strongest at last Wee must change till then but in melius till we come to our best and then we must be like him in whom is no shadow by turning But where wee should be like the Sunne till noone euer rising there bee many like Ezekiaes Sunne that goe backe many degrees in the diall whose beginnings are like Neroes first fiue yeares full of hope and peace Or like the first moneth of a new seruant or like vnto the foure Ages whose first was gold the last iron Or to Nebuchadnezzars image which had a precious head but base feet Looke to your selues this is a fearefull signe a fearefull condition Can hee euer bee rich that growes euery day poorer Can he euer reach the goale that goes euery day a step backe from it Alas then how shall he euer reach the goale of glory that goes euery day a step backward in grace He that is worse euery day can neuer be at his best In illa die In that day Hitherto the proficiencie The sanctification followes The Mosaicall Law was scrupulous There were
not sustaine vs while we are Away with these weake diffidences and if wee bee Christians trust God with his owne Psal 37.34 Wait thou on the Lord and keepe his wayes and he shall exalt thee He will make all things new And shall all things be made new and our hearts bee old Shall nothing but our soules be out of the fashion Surely beloued none but new hearts are for the new heauens Except we be borne anew we enter not into life All other things shall in the very instant receiue their renouation onely our hearts must bee made new before hand or else they shall neuer be renewed to their glory S. Peter when he had told vs of looking for new heauens and new earth infers this vse vpon it Wherefore beloued seeing yee looke for such things 2 Pet. 3.14 be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Behold the new heauens require pure and spotlesse inhabitants As euer therefore we looke to haue our part in this blessed renouation let vs cast off all our euill and corrupt affections put off the old man with his works and now with the new yeere put on the new labour for a new heart begin a new life That which S. Iohn sayes here that God will say and doe in our entrance to glorification Behold I make all things new 2 Cor. 5.17 out of Esa 43. Saint Paul saith he hath done it already in our regeneration Old things are passed away all things are become new What meanes this but that our regeneration must make way for our glorification and that our glory must but perfect our regeneration and God supposes this is done when there are meanes to doe it Why doe we then still in spight of the Gospell retaine our old corruptions and thinke to goe to the wedding feast in our old clothes if some of vs do not rather as the vulgar reads that Iudg. 10 6. Addere nona veteribus adde new sinnes to our old new oathes new fashions of pride new complements of drunkennesse new deuices of filthinesse new tricks of Machiauelisme these are our nouelties which fetch downe from God new iudgements vpon vs to the tingling of the eares of all hearers and for which Topheth was prepared of old If God haue no better newes for vs we shall neuer enioy the new heauen with him For Gods sake therefore and for our soules sake let vs be wiser and renew our couenant with God and seeing this is a day of gifts let my New-yeeres-gift to you be this holy aduice from God which may make you happy for euer Let your New-yeeres-gift to God be your hearts the best part of your selues the center of your selues to which all our actions are circumferences and if they bee such a present as we haue reason to feare God will not accept because they are sinfull yet if they be humbled if penitent we know he will receiue them Psal 51. A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise And if we cannot giue him our hearts yet giue him our desires and he will take our vnworthy hearts from vs I will take the stony hearts out of their bodies Ezec. 11.19 and he will graciously returne an happy New-yeeres-gift to vs Ezec. 11.14 I will put a new spirit within their bowels and will giue them an heart of flesh He will create a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within vs so as he will make a new heauen for vs he will make vs new for this heauen hee will make his Tabernacle in vs that hee may make ours with him Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men c. The superstitious Listrians cryed out amazed that Gods were come downe to them in the likenesse of men but we Christians know that it is no rare thing for God to come and dwell with men Yea are the Temples of the liuing God 2 Cor. 6.16 and I will dwell among them and walke there The faithfull heart of man is the Tabernacle of God But because though God bee euer with vs wee are not alwaies so with him yea whiles wee are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord as S. Paul complaines therefore will God vouchsafe vs a neerer cohabitation that shall not be capable of any interposition of any absence Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men But besides this Tabernacle of flesh time was when God dwelt in a materiall visible house with men Hee had his Tabernacle first which was a mouing Temple and then his Temple 2 Chron. 7.16 which was a fixed Tabernacle both of them had one measure both one name But as one said vpon that Eze. 42. Mensus est similitudinem domus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that both the Tabernacle and Temple were similitudes of Gods house rather than the house it selfe so say I that they were intended for notable resemblances both of the holy Church of God vpon earth and of the glorious Sanctuarie of heauen This is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God 1 Pet. 2.5 which word signifieth both a Temple Ezra 4.1 and a Palace Dan. 1.4 because he dwels where he is worshipped and he is magnificent in both It is the materiall Tabernacle which is alluded to the immateriall which is promised A Tabernacle that goes a thousand times more beyond the glittering Temple of Salomon than Salomons Temple went beyond the Tabernacle of Moses Neither let it trouble any man that the name of a Tabernacle implies flitting and vncertaintie For as the Temple howsoeuer it were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a house of Ages yet lasted not either the first I meane or second vnto 500. yeeres so this house though God call it a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 16.9 yet he makes it an euerlasting habitation for he tels vs that both age and death are gone before it come downe to men But why rather doth the Tabernacle of God descend to men than men ascend to it Whether this be in respect of Iohns vision to whom the new Ierusalem seemed to descend from heauen descendit as one saith innotescendo and therefore it is resembled by all the riches of this inferiour world gold precious stones pearle or whether heauen is therefore said to descend to vs because it meets vs in the aire 1 Thess 4.16 when Christ Iesus attended with innumerable Angels shall descend to fetch his elect or whether this phrase be vsed for a greater expression of loue and mercy since it is more for Prince to come to vs than for vs to goe to his Court. Certainly God meanes only in this to set forth that perpetuall and reciprocall conuersation which hee will haue with men They shall dwell with God God shall dwell with them Our glory begins euer in grace God doth dwell with all those in grace with whom hee will dwell in glory Euery Christian carries in his
your leisure could allow you to walke along with me a while thorow these sweet and flowrie Meades of Vnity and happy conspiration of thoughts And yet I shall not so much bend the residue of my speech to the praise of vnity to what purpose were that waste as to the necessary vindication of it from the vniust challenges of the enemies of peace It is an heauy crime and of all other the most hainous wherewith we are charged by the Romanists That we are fallen off from the Catholick Church that we haue rent the seamlesse coat of Christ yea broken his bones and torne his very body in peeces whereof if we were indeed guilty how vnworthy were we to breathe in this aire how most worthy of the lowest Hell But we call heauen and earth to record how vniustly this calumny is cast vpon vs yea we protest before God and men that the enuie of this so foule a crimination lights most iustly vpon the heads of the accusers May it please you to heare a short Apologue A certaine man inuited to a feast one or two of his friends entertained them bountifully They sate together louingly they are together and were merry one with another In the second course as the custome is the Master offereth them wine sets before them an apple now a worme had somewhat eaten the apple and a spider by chance had falne into the cup The guest sees and balks it The Master vrgeth him Why doe you not eat quoth he why drinke you not I dare not saith the other t' is not safe to doe either seest thou not this vermine in the cup and that in the apple Tush saith the Master what so great matter is this It was I that set this before thee It was I that began to thee in the other Drinke it eat it at least for my sake But suffer me first replies the guest to take out this spider to cut out this worme the wine the apple likes me well enough the spider the worme I cannot away with Away with such ouer-nine and curious companions quoth he againe Fy vpon thee thou vngratefull fellow that dost so little regard my friendship so contemne my cheere and with that in a rage throwes the platters and pots in the very face of his guest and thrust him out of doores all wounded Tell me now I beseech you worthy Auditors whether of these violates the lawes of hospitality I dare say you haue easily applied it before me There was a time when we sate together in a familiar manner with these Romanists and fared well The spider in the cup The worme in the apple what else be they but superstition in their worship rotten and vnwholsome traditions in their faith without these the Religion pleaseth vs well But they will needs importunately thrust these vpon vs and we refusing are therefore scorned spit vpon beaten and cast out Had they but giuen vs leaue to take out this spider this worme we had still eaten and dranke together most gladly They obstinately resisted and prefer'd their owne headstrong will to our good and safety nay they repell vs with reproaches strike vs with their thundering Anathemaes condemne vs to the stakes what should we doe in this case Heare oh heauens and hearken oh earth and thou Almighty God the Maker and Gouernor of them both suffer thy selfe and thy glorious spirits to be called to the testimony of our innocencie We are compelled we are driuen away from the Communion of the Church of Rome They forced vs to goe from them who departed first from themselues We haue willingly departed from the communion of their errors from the Communion of the Church we haue not departed Let them renounce their erroneous doctrine we embrace their Church Let them but cast away their soule-slaying Traditions we will communicate with them in the right of one and the same Church and remaine so for euer But alas I must be forced to complaine and that not without extreme griefe of heart how that it cannot be determined whether those that boast themselues for Catholikes be greater enemies to Truth or to Charity To Truth in that they haue of late forged new errors and forced them vpon the Church To Charity in that they haue not stuck to condemne the aduerse part and to brand them with the black marke of Heresie I will speake if you please more plainly Three manner of waies doe these Romanists offend against Charity First that they will not remit any thing either of their most conuicted opinion or vitious practice no not for peace sake Secondly that for Articles of Christian faith they put vpon the Church certaine opinions of their owne false doubtfull and vncertaine peculiar onely to the schooles which doe no whit touch the foundation of Religion And lastly that if they meet with any faithfull and sound monitors which doe neuer so little gainsay these new Articles they cruelly cast them out of the bosome of the Church and throw them headlong into Hel Away with these Schismaticks Hereticks Acheists Iwis the Protestants haue no Church no faith no saluation Good Lord what fury what frenzy distempers Christians that they should be so impotently malicious against those who professe themselues to be redeemed by the ransome of the same most precious bloud At length At length O yee Christians be wise and acknowledge those whom the God and Father of mercies holds worthy of his armes yea of his bowels Let frantick error bawle what it list we are Christians we are Catholicks the vndiuided members of one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Let vs meet at this barre if you please Leâ— who will maintaine the plea What is it which maketh a Church What is it which maketh that Church One holy Catholick Apostolick Is it not one holy Catholick Apostolick saith But which is that Is it not the same which was deliuered by Christ and the Apostles to the whole world and was alwaies and euery where approued through all Ages euen vnto our times Wherefore are the Scriptures wherefore the Creeds wherefore were the primitiue Councells but that there might bee certaine markes whereby Catholicks might be vndoubtedly discerned from Hereticks You know the Epilogue of the Athanasian Creed This is the Catholick Faith If we may beleeue Leo the heads of all heresies are quite cut off with this one sword of the Creed How much more then with that two-edged sword of the Scriptures and of the Fathers their Interpreters What then Those that then were Catholicks can they in any age be condemned for Hereticks No Faith is alwaies constant to it selfe and so is the Church that is built vpon that Faith Did we euer deny or make doubt of any Article or clause of that Ancient Diuinity Either then Christ himselfe the Apostles Councells Fathers erred from the Catholick truth or wee yet remaine Catholicks What euer other opinions we meet withall concerning Religion neither make nor marre it Say they be false
say they be vitious they are but hay and stubble which nothing appertaine to the foundation of this euerlasting frame The Church may bee either more sound or more corrupt for them It cannot be more or lesse a Church The beauty or deformity of a Church may consist in them the strength the welfare of it doth not Surely whosoeuer willingly subscribes to the Word of God signed in the euerlasting monuments of Scripture to the ancient Creeds to the foure Generall Councells to the common consent of the Fathers for six hundred yeeres after Christ which we of the reformed Church religiously professe to doe if he may erre in small points yet he cannot be an Heretick Some particular Church may easily offend by imputing heresie to an vndeserued opinion whether perhaps true or lightly erroneous but neither soule nor Church can greatly erre while it treads in the steps of the most ancient and vniuersall Must hee therefore of necessity die a Romanist that would die a Catholick This is an idle fancy and worthy of no lesse than Bedlam Giue me leaue ye Reuerend Fathers The blessed Ghost of the most holy and latest Bishop of this See interrupts my speech and charges me not to suffer his ashes so shamefully to be wronged I can neither be silent for indignation nor speake for anger It was not onely rumor'd but bookes were cast abroad ouer the world concerning the reuolt of this worthy and excellent Prelate reporting that at his death hee reconciled himselfe to the Church of Rome and with many sighes renounced the Heresies of the Church of England and at last being absolued by a Popish Priest sweetly slept in the faith of the Church of Rome Neither did his departed soule want somewhere as is reported suffrages and oblations of Massmongers in this behalfe Oh immortall God! what blasphemy is here Can impudencie it selfe so cast off all shame as to raise so slanderous a lie thus boldly against the credit of so many witnesses against the solemne detestation of their owne Priest against the religious othes of his neerest friends and domestique seruants against the Sermon and publique writings of his Learned Sonne a sonne well worthy of such a Father Other lies haue some colour to plead for their credit This besides boldnesse hath none at all How many of vs sate by that faithfull Pastor of ours then breathing toward his last and receiued from his dying lips words of most constant piety And some of you reuerend Fathers deuoutly receiued with him that sacred Vinticum the last bread that euer hee tasted euen the bread of the Lord and were witnesses of the last motions of his soule then ready to depart and breathing toward his heauen Ours he liued Ours hee died and now as ours is crowned in heauen Goe on now yea mis-zealous spirits goe on to lie stoutly somewhat will alwaies stick fast to the accusers But in the meane time It cannot be truth that needs the props of lies Onely this by the way Let the boldest Sophister of the Romish Schoole come forth now and if hee can for shame let him vndertake to proue that those most noted additions of the Tridentine Faith which onely we reiect were receiued of all the Church in all Ages for necessary heads of Religion or let him confesse as he needs must that we haue still constantly persisted in the Communion of One Holy Catholick Church and faith Hee shall easily bewray his owne nouelty but neuer shall euince any Heresie of ours It is a golden saying of Cardinall Contarenus Harken I beseech you if any ingenuous spirit of you all be a friend to Rome Non opus est concilio non syllogismis ad sedandas hasce Lutheraâ—â—â—um turbas c. There needs no Councell saith he no Syllogismes to allay these broyles of the Lutherans but onely charity humility and a sincere minde that being void of all selfe-loue we may be perswaded to correct and reforme those things wherein we haue manifestly transgressed Thus he Thou art wise indeed O Contarenus would to God thy fellowes were so also But we forsooth are the disobedient and rebellious children of our mother the Church whose commands while wee disdaine to receiue and obey and reuerence her decrees we are enwrapped in a shamefull schisme and stricken with the curses of an angry Mother Surely this were an odious contumely But for vs wee haue not acknowledg'd her a Mother a Sister wee haue But grant wee were Sons yet wee are no slaues To forge a new faith and imperiously thrust it vpon her owne is not the part of an indulgent parent but of a Tyrant This lawlesse liberty we confesse we could neuer endure and therefore are wee openly thunder-stricken with more than one Anathema Neither haue they otherwise dealt with vs than that foolish fellow in Gerson who being very busie to driue away a fly from his neighbours forehead braind the man But lament ye with me my brethren the wofull case of that Church that hath learned to fit her faith to the Times and is more impatient of a remedy than of the disease Whilst they so eagerly persecute vs let vs heartily pitty them And let vs still wish to them that which they enuie and denie to vs Saluation Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Our prayers our teares our admonitions must not bee wanting Returne to your selues now at last oh ye Christian soules Returne from whence you haue sensibly declined Recouer your first loue your first workes Suffer not your selues any longer to be mocked with the glorious title of a Church Frame your selues to that holy Vnity which hitherto you haue so stifly resisted which oh if once we might liue to see effected you should well finde as it runs in the law of the twelue Tables that the recouered should with vs haue the same priuileges with the healthfull Behold wee are ready as our gracious and peaceable King Iames piously vndertooke to meet you halfe way But if they shall still obstinately cast off all hope of Vnity and being set on fire with the hatred of peace shall goe on to delight themselues onely in the alarum of their sacred Trumpet as they call it why should not wee religiously and entirely keepe peace among our selues I speake to all the Sonnes of the purer Church wheresoeuer dispersed we professe this Church of ours by Gods grace reformed Reformed I say not new made as some emulous spirits spightfully slander vs. For me I am ready to forke to the very ground when I heare that hedge-row reproach Where was your Religion before Luther Where was your Church Heare oh ye ignorant Heare oh ye enuious Cauillers we desired the reformation of an old Religion not the formation of a new The Church accordingly was reform'd not new wrought It remaines therefore the same Church it was before but onely purged from some superfluous and pernitions additaments of error Is it a new face that was lately washed a new
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
we would haue peace outward inward priuate publike secular spirituall If we would haue peace in our estate peace in our Land peace in our Church peace in our soules pray for it And if euer wee will pray for it pray here in Gods house for in this place will I giue peace In vaine shall we looke for it elsewhere if we aske it not here It is true we are bidden euery where to lift vp pure hands to God but they cannot bee pure that are profane and they cannot bee but profane that contemne the holy ordinances of God He said well In templo vis orare in te ora for Know you not that your bodies are the Temples of the liuing God but let me as truly returne it In te vis orare in templo ora Wouldst thou pray with effect at home Pray at Church else thy deuotion is but the sacrifice of fooles for he hath said it who hath good reason to appoint the circumstances of his owne beneficence In this place will I giue peace Will yee then see the reason why there is so much emptie Caske in the Celler of God Therefore are men void of grace because they are voyd of deuotion They seeke not God where he may be found and therefore it is iust with God not to be found of them where they pretend to seeke him for In hoc loco In this place will I giue peace Gerson distinguishes well in his Sermon de Angelis that there is Duplex Coelum A double Heauen Gloriae Ecclesiae of Glory aboue of the Church below the Church is the Heauen on earth where God is seene heard spoken vnto where are his Saints whose Assemblies are here where are his Angels Let the woman haue power on her head because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11. As the Iewes then whilest the Church of God was Nationall were wont according to command to looke towards the Temple if they could not come to it in their deuotions So now that the Church is Catholike or vniuersall and euery of our Churches is equally Gods house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall gladly with Peter and Iohn goe vp to this Temple to pray How can we looke for a better incouragement than God giues vs here In this place will I giue peace In the latter as it is Auditorium so I create the fruit of the lips to be peace saith God Naturally we are all euen those that applaud themselues in the best opinion of their harmeles and faire disposition enemies to God Enemies both actiuely and passiuely Actiuely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-haters Rom. 1. Passiuely Filij irae The sons of displeasure We fell out in Adam through our owne wilfull apostasie and disobedience and we still stand out in the maintenance of our inward corruption There is no way to peace but by reconciliation there is no way to reconciliation but by the Gospel of Iesus Christ which is Euangelium pacis there is no proper element for the Gospell of God The Gospell of peace but the House of God Locus iste In this place will I giue peace It is not I know for euery heart to apprehend either the want of this peace or the misery of this want This is one of those happinesses which is most brag'd of where it is least had The sensual Securitan pleases himselfe in the conceit of his owne peace All is well at home hee quarrels not with himselfe for he denies himselfe nothing God quarrels not with him here are no checks of a chiding conscience no frownes of an angry Iudge nothing but Pulchritudo pacis as the Prophet speakes Alas my beloued call not this peace The beauty of peace I will giue true peace call it stupidity euen Hell it selfe is not a Kingdome diuided in it selfe There is no blessing which is not also counterfeited Pacem veram dabo is the stile of the Prophets Ier. 14.13 This were a needlesse Epithet if there were not a false peace such is this of carnall hearts That Word of eternall Truth must stand There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Haue you seene a sore suddenly fild vp with vnsound flesh and fairely skinned ouer without all offence to the eie which ere long will breake out againe and bewray a secret and so much-more-hardly-cured corruption Such is a wicked mans peace Haue you seene a slaue sit quietly in the Gally not struggling with his chaine not repining at his Oare necessitas fortiter consuetudo facile Necessitie hath taught him to beare it strongly custome easily Haue you heard a dying man professe that he felt no paine Such is a wicked mans peace of which he shall once say though now all seeme smooth and plausible In pace amaritudo mea amarissima In peace I had great bitternesse Esay 38.17 Nether is the want of this peace lesse perceiued than the misery of this want Men see no difference in the face of Heauen whatsoeuer they doe their blasphemies and prayers finde the same intertainement therefore the carelesse man resolues I shall haue peace though I follow the wayes of mine owne heart Oh the miserable sottishnesse of wilfull sinners Sinne lyes like a sleeping Bandog at the doore of their heart they looke vpon him as if hee would neuer wake or as if though hee should yet hee were so clogged and chained and muzled that there can bee no danger of his hurt Let God but rowze him vp a little he shall bay them to despaire he shall flie vpon them and pull out their throats Then shall their troubled heart proiect terrible things and they shall feele what it is to liue in the anger of a God They shall see the Almighty putting himselfe into the fearefull formes of vengeance Who can stand before his indignation And who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger His furie is powred out like fire and the rocks are throwne downe before him Nahum 1.6 And if his very loue haue drawne bloud of his deare ones Terrores Domini militant contra me saith holy Iob The terrors of the Lord are set in aray against me Iob 6.4 and he that bore the chastisements of our peace the Sonne of his loue could say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh what shall bee the Iudgements of his wrath If this bee the rod of children Oh what shall be the Scorpions for his enemies They shall see that gulfe of fire ready to receiue them into euerlasting burnings They shall see the Deuils their incessant tormentors ready to seize vpon their guilty soules Then O then shall they know too late what an happinesse it is that God here promises Dabo pacem Would wee then auoyde the vnspeakeable horror of this wofull condition Would we finde the bed of our sicknesse and death comforted with the sweete testimony of an heauenly peace betwixt God and our soules See whence we must fetch it In this place will I giue peace If euer
of the sonnes of Anak the spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places If we looke at their number they are Legions If to their strength they are Principalities and Powers If to their nature they are spirits that rule in the aire We are men flesh and bloud single weake sinfull What euer we are our God is in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will he is the Lord of Hosts though Cowards in our selues yet in him we are more than Conquerors he who is more than all power than All truth hath said it The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against his Church Thanks be to God which giueth vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Lastly he is the Lord of hosts his vndertakings are infallible Hath he said that the glory of the Euangelicall Church shall exceed the Legall Hath he said that In this place he will giue peace How can the Church faile of glory or the soule of peace His word can be no more defectiue than himselfe impotent Trust God with his owne causes trust him with thy selfe doe that he bids expect what he promises haunt this House of his wait on his ordinances The Lord of Hosts shall giue thee that peace which passeth all vnderstanding and with peace glory in that vpper House of his not made with hands eternall in the Heauens To the possession whereof that God who hath ordained vs in his good time mercifully bring vs. And now O Lord God of Hosts make good thy promises to this House of thine Whensoeuer any Suppliant shall in this place offer vp his praiers vnto thee heare thou in Heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest haue mercy What Word soeuer of thine shall sound out of this place let it be the fauour of life vnto life to euery hearer What Sacrament soeuer of thine in this place shall be administred let it be effectuall to the saluation of euery receiuer Thou that art the God of glory and peace giue peace and glory to thy Seruants for thy mercies sake for thy Sonnes sake euen the Sonne of thy loue Iesus Christ the iust To whom with thee and the holy Ghost one infinite God be giuen all praise honour and thanksgiuing now and for euer TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND REVEREND Mr. Dr. HALL DEANE OF WORCESTER my worthie and much respected Friend all happinesse with my loue in CHRIST IESVS REuerend Sir this Sermon I know is at the Presse before you expected But I thought as this glorious Chapell occasioned it so it might minister occasion of perpetuall remembrance of the Chapell by remaining its first Monument And altho both these were confined to the priuate the Chapell for the Family of my Right Honorable Lord the Earle of Exceter who hath giuen the materiall thereof sufficient luster and the Copie of the Sermon to the Cabinet of my truly Noble and vertuous Lady his Countesse yet both these are much and oft required to the publike the Sermon to be an instruction and so it is the Chapell to be an example and so it may be The Sermon to teach all to be all glorious in their soules The Chapell to teach some who build houses for their owne habitation to set vp another for Gods Religion The Sermon was craued at the hands of my Honourable Ladie that it might come to the Presse who of her owne pious disposition gaue forth the Copie and for her Noble esteeme of your selfe and of the worth of your sermon was willing and desirous to giue it way to the Printer And this I thought good to impart vnto you and to the courteous Reader that you may be satisfied of the meanes how and the cause why it comes in publike And so praying for you and desiring your prayers for me I remaine Your truly louing Friend H. BAGVLEY THE TRVE Peace-Maker LAID FORTH IN A SERMON BEFORE HIS MAIESTY AT THEOBALDS September 19. 1624. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for NATHANIEL BVTTER 1624. THE TRVE Peace-Maker ESAY 32.17 Opus Iustitiae pax The worke of Iustice or righteousnesse shall be peace MY Text you heare is of Iustice and peace two royall graces and such as flow from soueraigne Maiesty There is a double Iustice Diuine and humane there is a double peace outward in the state inward in the soule Accordingly there is a double sense of my Text a spirituall a ciuill sense The spirituall concerning Theologicall Iustice and inward peace The ciuill concerning humane iustice and outward peace The spirituall thus The Messias shall cause the fruit of his perfect iustice to be our inward peace with God and our selues The ciuill thus The Magistrate shall cause the worke of ciuill Iustice in his administration to be our outward peace with one another In both or either as Musculus well there is an allusion in the Hebrew word to a field the soile is the heart or the State the seed is Iustice the fruit peace That which was waste ground is now a Carmell a fruitfull field and the fruit of this field of Iustice is peace As there is good reason we will beginne with the spirituall Iustice and Peace The great King of Heauen will disforest that peece of the world which hee calls his Church and put it to tillage it shall be sowne with righteousnesse and shall yeeld a sweet crop of peace in this onely not in the barren heaths of the prophane world shall true peace grow At first God and man were good friends How should there bee other than good termes betwixt Heauen and Paradise God made man iust and iust man whiles he was so could not chuse but loue the iust God that made him sin set them at odds in one act and instant did man leese both his iustice and peace now the world is changed now the stile of God is Fortis vltor God the auenger Ier. 51.56 and the stile of men God the auenger The sonnes of wrath Filij irae sons of wrath Ephes 2.3 There is no possible peace to be made betwixt God man but by the perfect Iustice of him that was both God man I would there were a peace in the Church about this Iustice It is pitie shame there is not but there must be heresies As there are two parts of Diuinity the Law and the Gospell so each of these haue their Iustice there is a Iustice of the Law and an Euangelicall Iustice The Iustice of the Law when a meere morall man is iustified out of his owne powers by the works of the Law very Papists will giue so much way to S. Paul so much affront to Pelagius as to renounce this freely anathematizing that man who by the strength of humane nature or the doctrine of the Law shal challenge iustification Vnlesse perhaps some Andradius haue priuiledge to teach Morall righteousnesse that this Ethica Iustitia was enough to iustifie and saue the old Philosophers The Euangelicall Iustice is
death but the poore soules that when they are crushed yeeld the iuyce of teares exhibit bils of complaint throw open the new thornes maintaine the old mounds would these men be content to be quietly racked and spoiled there would be peace In the City not the impure Sodomitish brothels that sell themselues to worke wickednesse not the abominable Pandars not the iugling Cheater not the Counterfeit Vagrant but the Marshall that drawes these to correction Not the deceitfull Merchant that sophisticates his commodities inhanceth prices sels euery inch of what he cannot warrant Time Not the vnconscionable and fraudulent Artisan but the Promoter and the Bench. In the Common-wealth not the cruell robber by sea or land that lies in the way like a spider in a window for a booty for bloud Not the bold night-walker that keepes sauage houres fit for the guilty intentions of his burglaries but the watch that takes him Not the ranke adulterer that neighs after his neighbours wife and thirsts after onely stolne waters but the sworne men that present him Not the traiterous Coyner that in euery stampe reades his own conuiction whiles he still renewes that face against which he offends but the Sheriffe that attaches him Not the vnreformable drunkard that makes a God of his liquor a beast of himselfe and raues and swaggers in his cups but the Constable that punishes him would these Officers conniue at all these villanies there would be peace In the Church not the chaffering Patron or periured Chaplaine not the seducing heretike or seditious schismatike not the scandalous Leuite not the carelesse Questman not the corrupt Officiall but the clamorous Preacher or the rigorous High-Commission In the world lastly Not the ambitious incrochers vpon others dominions not violaters of leagues not vsurpers of mis-gotten titles and dignities not suborners or abettors of conspiracies and traitors but the vnkinde patients that will not recipere ferrum I wis the great Potentates of the world might see a ready way to peace Thus in family countrey city common-wealth Church world the greatest part seeke a licencious peace in a disordered lawlesnesse condemning true iustice of cruelty stripping her of the honour of peace branding her with the censure of troublesome Foolish men speake foolish things Oh noble and incomparable blessing of peace how iniuriously art thou ascribed to vniust neglect Oh diuine vertue of iustice how deseruedly haue the Ancients giuen thee wings and sent thee vp to heauen in a detestation of these earthly indignities whence thou comst not downe at all vnlesse it please that essentiall and infinite Iustice to communicate thee to some choise fauourites It is but a iust word that this Iland hath beene long approued the darling of heauen We haue enioyed peace to the admiration to the enuy of neighbourhood Would we continue it would we traduce it to ours Iustice must doe it for vs. Both Iustice and Peace are from the throne Peace is the Kings Peace and iustly descends from Soueraignty by coÌ„mission let me haue leaue to say with the princely Prophet a word that was too good for the frequent text of a Pope Diligite iustitiam qui iudicatis terram Still ô God giue thy Iudgment to the King and thy Iustice to the Kings son And if any shal offer wrong to the Lords anointed in his person in his seed the worke of that iniustice shall be war yea Bellum Domini the Lords war 2 Sam. 25.28 Then let him who is both the Lord of Hosts and the God of Peace rise vp mightily for his anointed the true King of peace that he who hath graciously said all this while Da pacem Domine Giue peace in our time O Lord may superscribe at the last his iust Trophees with Blessed be the Lord which teacheth my hands to warre and my fingers to fight Ye haue heard of the spirituall Iustice and Peace Ye haue heard of the Ciuill may it please you to mix both of them together My text alone doth it if you doe but with our most accurate Translation reade Righteousnesse for Iustice So shall you see the spirituall disposition of Righteousnes produce the ciuill effect of Peace What is righteousnesse but the sincere vprightnesse of the heart to God in all our wayes He is perfect with God that would be so What need I tell you that this is the way to true inward peace Nil conscire Not to be guilty of ill A cleare heart will be a quiet one There is no feast to a good conscience this is meat musicke welcome It seemes harder that time spirituall honesty should procure euen outward peace Heare wise Salomon By the blessing of the vpright the city is exalted Prou. 11.11 When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh euen his enemies to be at peace with him Pro. 16.7 Righteousnes exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people Pro. 14.24 It followes then as a iust corâ—llary That the honestest and conscionablest man is the best subiect He may perhaps be plaine perhaps poore perhaps weake but the state is more beholden to his integrity than to the ablest purse than to the strongest arme Whereas the graceles vicious person let him be neuer so plausible a talker neuer so careful an officer neuer so valiant a Leader neuer so officious a Courtier neuer so deepe in subsidies neuer so forward in actions is no other than an enemy to the state which he professes to adore Let no Philosopher tell me of maius vir boâ— usicâ—uis I say from better authority An il man a good subiect that a lewd man can no more be a good subiect than an ill subiect can be a good man Heare this then wheresoeuer ye are ye secret oppressors ye profane scoffers ye foule mouth'd swearers ye close adulterers ye kinde drunkards and who euer come within this blacke list of wickednesse how can ye be loiall whiles you lodge traitors in your bosomes Protest what ye will your sinnes breake the peace and conspire against the sacred Crowne and dignity of your Soueraigne What care we that you draw your sword and vow your bloud and drinke your healths to your Gouenours when in the meane while you prouoke God to anger and set quarrels betwixt your Country and Heauen That I may winde vp this clew It were folly to commend to you the worth of peace we know that the excellency of Princes is expressed by serenity what good hath the earth which God doth not couch vnder the name of Peace Blessed be God and his Annointed we haue long and comfortably tasted the sweetnesse of this blessing the Lillies and Lions of our Salomon haue beene iustly worded with Beati pacifici Would we haue this happinesse perpetuated to vs to posterity Oh let Prince and people meet in the ambition to be Gens iusta a righteous nation righteous euery way First let God haue his owne His owne dayes his owne seruices his feare his loue his all Let
eyes of all them from whom it is made as euermore casting vpon them the imputation of euill whereof all men are impatient And hence it commeth to passe that the Church of England can better brooke the vilest persons continuing communion with it than any whomsoeuer separating from it though vpon neuer so iust and well grounded reasons SECTION III. I Wrote not to you alone what is become of your partner yea your Guide The pardon I written to and their 〈◊〉 To M. Smith and M. 〈◊〉 Ringe-leaders of the late separation at Amsterdam Charact of the Beast written by M. Smith Pref. Be it knowne therefore to all the separation that we account them in respect of their constitution to be as very an Harlot as either her Mother the Church of England or her Grandmother Rome is c. Iterato baptizâ—us scienter iterato Dominum cruciâ—git De consecr dist 4. Quivis c. Woe is me he hath renounced our Christendome with our Church and hath washe off his former water with new and now condemnes you all for not separating further no lesse than wee condemne you for separating so farre As if you could not bee enough out of Babylon vnlesse you be out of your selues Alas miserable Countreymen whither runne you Religion hath but his height beyond which is error and madnesse hee tells you true your station is vnsafe either you must forward to him or backe to vs. * * The crime of the separation how great M. Perry in his Disc of this subiect I obiected separation to you yet not so extreme as your answer bewrayes a late separation not the first my charity hoped you lesse ill than you will needs deserue you grant it odious because it casts imputation of euill vpon the forsaken Of euill Yea of the worst an estate incurable desperate He is an il Physitian that wil leaue his Patient vpon euery disteÌ„per his departure argues the disease helples were we but faulty as your Land-Lord Churches your own rules would not abide your flight Vid. IOHNSON Preface to his Inquirie Esay 5.20 Hence the Church of England iustly matches Separatists with the vilest persons God himselfe doth so who are more vile than Patrons of euill yet no greater woe is to them that speake good of euill than those that speake euill of good So wise Generals punish mutinous persons worse than Robbers or Adulterers Num. 16.31 Exod. 32.30 So Corah and his company a Story cunningly turned vpon vs by your Martyr for their opposition to Moses were more fearefully plagued than the Idolatrous Israelites These sinnes are more directly against common society the other more personall and if both haue like iniquity yet the former haue both more offence and more danger And if not so yet who cannot rather brooke a lewd seruant than an vndutifull sonne though pretending faire colours for his disobedience At least you thinke the Church of England thinks her selfe Gods Church as well as your Saints of Amsterdam You that so accurse Apostasie in others could yee expect shee should brooke it in you Prov. 21. â— But your reasons are iust and well grounded euery way of a man is right in his own eyes Said we not well that thou ar a Samaritane and hast a Deuill say the Iewes What Schisme euer did not thinke well of it selfe For vs we call Heauen and earth to record your cause hath no more Iustice than your selues haue charity SEP And yet separation from the World and so from the men of the World and so from the Prince of the World that reigneth in them and so from whatsoeuer is contrary to God is the first step to our communion with God and Angels and good men as the first step to a ladder is to leaue the earth SECTION IIII. The kinds of the Separation and which is iust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 YET there is a commendable and happy separation from the World from the Prince and men of the World and whatsoeuer is contrary to God who doubts it There were no Heauen for vs without this no Church which hath her name giuen by her Father and Husband of calling out from other Out of the Aegypt of the World doth God call his sonnes But this separation is into the visible Church from the World not as yours out of the Church because of some particular mixtures with the World or if you had rather take it of profession out of the World of Pagans and Infidels into the visible Church not out of the World of true though faulty Christians into a purer Church That I may here at once for all giue light to this point of separation we finde in Scripture a separation either to good or from euill To good Num. 8 1â— Num. 16.9 Deut. â— 1â— Exod. 1â— 12 Leuit. 15. â—1 Deut. 1.41 Rom. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Leuites were separated from among the children of Israel to beare the Arke and to minister so the first borne first fruits and Cities of refuge So Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separated which some would haue allude to his Pharisaisme but hath plaine reference to Gods owne words Acts 13.2 Separate mee Barnabas and Saul Though this is rather a destination to some worthy purpose than a properly called separation From euill whether sinne or sinners From sinne so euery soule must eschew euill whether of doctrine or manners and disclaime all fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse 1 Thess vlt. ad fin Ier. 15.19 Vide Tremel Tiâ— whether in himselfe or others So S. Paul charges vs to hold that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill so Ieremie is charged to separate the precious doctrine or practise from the vile From sinners not onely practised by God himselfe to omit his eternall and secret Decree Num. 16. Mat. 15. ad fin 2 Chron. 19.2 1. Cor. 6. ad fin Nulla cum malis conviuia vel colloquia misceantur simusque abijs tâ—m Separati quam sunt illi ab ecclesia Dei profugi Cypr. l. 1. epist ad Corn. 2. whereby the Elect are separated from the Reprobate both in his gracious vocation sequestring them from nature and sinne as also in his excecution of iudgement whether particular as of the Israelites from the Tabernacles of Corah or vniuersall and finall of the Sheepe from the Goats But also inioyned from God to men in respect either of our affection or of our yoke and familiar society whereof Saint PAVL Bee not vnequally yoked with Infidels Come out from among them and separate your selues In all this wee agree In the latitude of this last onely wee differ I finde you call for a double separation A fast separation in the gathering of the Church A second in the menaging of it The first at our entrance into the Church the second in our continuance The first of the Church from Pagans and Worldlings an initiatorie profession The second of
lewd men from the Church by iust censures You speake confusedly of your owne separation one while of both another while of either single For the first either confesse it done by our Baptisme or else you shall be forced to hold we must rebaptize Charact. of Beast Praef. But of this Constitutiue separation anon For the second of sinners whether in iudgement or life some are more grosse hainous incorrigible others lesse notorious and more tractable those other must be separated by iust censures not these Which censures if they be neglected the Church is foule and in your Pastors word faultie Iohns Inquir and therefore calls for our teares not for our flight Now of Churches faultie and corrupted some raze the foundation others on the true foundation build timber hay stubble From those we must separate from these we may not PETERS rule is eternall Ioh. 6.68 Whither shall wee goe from thee thou hast the words of eternall life where these words are found woe be to vs if we be not found Amongst many good separations then yours cannot be separated from euill for that we should so farre separate from the euill that therefore we should separate from Gods children in the communion of the holy things of God that for some after your worst done not fundamentall corruptions H. Cl. Epistle before Treatise of Sinne against the Holy Ghost we should separate from that Church in whose wombe wee were conceiued and from betwixt whose knees we fell to God in a word as one of yours once said to separate not onely from visible euill but from visible good as all Antichristian who but yours can thinke lesse than absurd and impious Grant we should be cleane separated from the World yet if we be not must you be separated from vs Doe but stay till God haue separated vs from himselfe Neque propter paleam relinquam aream Domini neque propter pisces males rumpimus retia Domini Aug. epist 48 will the wise Husbandman cast away his Corne-heap for the chaffe and dust Shall the Fisher cast away a good draught because his Drag-Net hath Weeds Doth God separate from the faithfull soule because it hath some corruptions her Inmates though not her commanders Certainly if you could thorowly separate the World from you you would neuer thus separate your selues from vs Begin at home separate all selfe-loue and selfe-will and vncharitablenesse from your hearts and you cannot but ioyne with that Church from which you haue separated Your Doctor would perswade vs you separate from nothing but our corruptious Answ Counterpoyson p. 2. you are honester and grant it from our Church it were happy for you if he lied not who in the next page confutes himselfe shewing that you separate from vs as Christ from the Samaritans namely from the Church not the corruptions onely Counterpoyson p. 7. 8. c. and not as he did from the Iewes namely from their corruptions not from their Church His memorie saues our labour and marres his discourse SEP The separation we haue made in respect of our knowledge and obedience is indeed late and new yet is it in the nature and causes thereof as ancient as the Gospell which was first founded in the enmitie which God himselfe put betwixt the seed of the Woman and the seede of the Serpent Genes 3.15 which enmitie hath not onely beene successiuely continued but also visibly manifested by the actuall separation of all true Churches from the World in their collection and constitution before the Law vnder the Law and vnder the Gospell Genes 4.13 14.16 6.1 2. 7.1.7 with 1 Pet. 3.20.12 12.2 Leuit. 20.24.26 Nehem. 9.2 Ioh. 17.14.16 Acts 2.40 19.9 1 Cor. 6.17 SECTION V. YET if not equitie it were well you could plead age The antiquitie and examples of separation This your separation in the nature and causes of it you say is no lesse ancient than the first institution of enmitie betwixt the two seedes you might haue gone a little higher and haue said than our first Parents running from God in the Garden or their separation from God by their sinne But we take your time and easily beleeue that this your late separation was founded vpon that ancient enmitie of the seed of the serpent Euseb Hist Ecc. with the womans That subtle Deuill when he saw the Church breath from the persecutions of Tyrants vexed her no lesse with her owne diuisions seeking that by fraud which by violence he could not effect Hence all the fearefull Schismes of the Church whereof yours is part This enmitie hath not onely beene successiuely continued but also too visibly manifested by the actuall but wilfull separation of Heretikes and Sectaries from the Church in all ages But I mistake you yours is as ancient as the Gospell What Hen. Steph. Apol Herod Fox Act. Monu H. N. his booke Gal. 1.6 Eph. 6.17 Col. 1.5 1 Tim. 1 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Euangelium aeteruum of the Friers whose name they accursedly borrowed from Reuel 14.6 Or that Euangelium Regni of the Familists Or that Euangelium aliud whereof Saint PAVL taxeth his Galatians None of all these you say but as that Gospell of Peace of Truth of Glory so ancient and neuer knowne till Bolton Barrow and Browne Could it escape all the holy Prophets Apostles Doctors of the old middle and later world and light onely vpon these your three Patriarchs Perhaps Nonatus or Donatus those Saints with their Schooles had some little glimpse of it but this perfection of knowledge is but late and new So many rich Mines haue lien long vnknowne and great parts of the World haue beene discouered by late Venturers If this course haue come late to your knowledge and obedience not so to others For loe it was practised successiuely in the constitution and collection of all true Churches through all times before the Law vnder the Law after it We haue acknowledged many separations but as soone shall you finde the time past in the present as your late separation Iren. de Valen. l. 1. Innumerabilem multitudinem Scripturarum quas ipsi finxerunt afferunt ad stuporem insensatorum Vid. Preface to M. Iacobs and Iohnson Confer and Barr. pass Description of the true visible Church Nihil autem miram si ex ipsius instrumento aptentur argumenta cum oporteat hereses esse quae esse non possunt si non perperam Scripturae intelligi possunt Tertull. de Resurrect Ibid. So Barrow tearmes Mast Gyffords Refut pag. 102. Si Christianus Iudaicae praeuaricanti carnaliter coniungatur à commuâ—â—ne Ecclesiae segregetur Dist 28. q. 1. Caâ—â— cap. siquis Iudaicae c. 1 Pet. 3.19 2 Pet. 2.5 in the ancient and approued You quote Scriptures though to your praise more daintie indeed than your fellowes Who cannot doe so Who hath not Euen Satan himselfe cites the word against him which was the word of his
Father Let vs not number but weigh your texts The rather for that I finde these as your Master-proofes set as Challengers in euery of your defences In Genes 4.13 CAIN a bloudy Fratricide is excommunicated In Genes 6.1 2. The sonnes of God married the daughters of men In Genes 7.1 7. NOAHS time is approued as righteous and enters the Arke In 1 Pet. 3.20 21. The rest in NOAHS time were disobedient and perished What of all this Alas what mockage is this of the Reader and Scriptures Surely you euen ioyne Scriptures as you separate your selues This is right as your Pastor to proue all members of the visible Church elect and precious stones cites 1 King 7.9 where is speech onely of Salomons house in the Forrest of Lebanon his Porch for his Throne his Hall his Palace for Pharaohs daughter and when he comes to describe the office of his imaginarie Doctor thwacks fourteene Scriptures into the margent whereof not any one hath any iust colour of inference to his purpose and in this discourse of the power of the Church that he might seeme to honour his margent with shew of texts hath repeated six places twice ouer in the space of six lines For these of yours you might obiect the first to the Cainites not to vs Cain was cast out worthily Doe we either denie or vtterly forbeare this censure Take heed you follow him not in your voluntarie exile to the land of Nod. The second you might obiect to those mungrell Christians that match with Turkes and Pagans There are sonnes of God that is members of the visible Church and daughters of men which are without the bounds meere Infidels it is sinne for those sonnes to yoke themselues with those daughters What is this to vs Noah was righteous the multitude disobedient Who denies it yet Noah separated not from the corrupted Church till the floud separated him from the earth but continued an ancient Preacher of righteousnesse euen to that peruerse and rebellious Generation But it sufficeth you that Cain and the Giants were separated from the rest We yeeld it what will follow hence saue onely that notorious Malefactors must bee cast out and professed Heathen not let into the Church We hold and wish no lesse your places euince no more These before the Law In Leuit. 20.24.26 God chose our Israel from other people This was Gods act not theirs a sequestring of his Israelites from the Gentiles not of Israel from it selfe yours is your owne and from men in all maine points of your owne profession But therefore Israel must be holy If any man denie holinesse to be required of euery Christian let him feele your Maranatha In Nehem. 9.2 The Israelites separated themselues from the strangers which were Infidels whether in their marriage or deuotion Neither Gods seruice nor an Israelites bed was for Heathens This was not the constituting of a new Church but reforming of the old If therefore you can parallel vs with Pagans and your selues will be Iewes this place fits you Lastly what if there be an hatred betwixt the World and Christs true Disciples Ioh. 17.14.16 what if PETER charged his Auditors to saue themselues from the errors and practise of that froward Generation whose hands were yet freshly imbrewed with the bloud of Christ Act. 2.40 What if the same which PETER taught PAVL practised in separating his followers from hearing some obstinate and blasphemous Iewes Act. 19.9 What if the Church of Corinth were Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 and therefore must be separated from the yoke of Infidels 2.6.17 Are these your patternes Are these fit matches for your brethren baptized in the same water and name professing euery point of the same true faith vsing for substance the same worship with you He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse 1 Ioh. 2.9 SEP Which separation the Church of England neither hath made nor doth make but stands actually one with all that part of the World within the Kingdome without separation for which cause amongst others we haue chosen by the grace of God rather to separate our selues to the Lord from it than with it from him in the visible constitution of it SECTION VI. BVT all these examples perhaps are not so much to warrant what you haue done What separation is to bee made by churches in their planting or restauration In his Preface to the Reader and in his causes of separation defended pag. 4. Eiusdem p. 10. Refutat of M. Gyff p. 22. 2. Transgress p. 51. 52. 55. 66. 70. 85. 86. c. Inconstance of Browne p. 110. Inquiry into M White confessed by Fr. Iohnson pag. 63. Passage twixt Clifton and Smith And concerning the constitution of the Churches c. But the constituting of Churches now after the defection of Antichrist may more properly be called a repairing than a constitution c. as to condemne the Church of England for what shee hath not done for such a separation shee neither hath made nor doth make but stands actually one with all that part of the World within the Kingdome without separation Loe here the maine ground of this Schisme which your Proto-Martyr BARROVV hammers vpon in euery page an ill constitution Thus hee comments vpon your words For where such prophane confuse multitudes without any exception separation or choice were all of them from publike Idolatry at one instant receiued or rather compelled to bee members of the Church in some Parish or other where they inhabited without any due calling to the faith by the preaching of the Gospel going before or orderly ioyning together in the faith there being no voluntarie or particular confession of their owne faith and duties made or required of any and lastly no holy walking in the faith amongst them who can say that these Churches consisting of this people were euer rightly gathered or built according to the rule of Christs Testament In his words and yours I finde both a miscollection and a wrong charge For the former the want of noting one poore distinction breeds all this confusion of Doctrine and separation of men for there is one case of a new Church to be called from Heathenisme to Christianitie another of a former Church to be reformed from errors to more sincere Christianitie In the first of these is required indeed a solemne initiation by Baptisme and before that a voluntarie and particular confession of faith and therefore a cleare separation and exception of the Christian from the Infidell In the latter neither is new Baptisme lawfull though some of you belike of old were in hand with a rebaptization which not then speeding succeedeth now to your shame nor a new voluntarie and particular confession of Faith besides that in Baptisme though very commendable will euer be proued simply necessarie to the being of a Church so long as the erring parties doe actually renounce their doctrines and in open profession
intrude thus into the throne of your Maker Consider and conferre seriously What faith is it that is thus necessarily required to each member in this Constitution Your owne Doctor shall define it Faith required to the receiuing in of members is the knowledge of the Doctrine of saluation by Christ 1 Cor. 12.9 Gal. 3.2 Now I beseech you in the feare of God lay by a while all vnchristian preiudice and peremptory verdicts of those soules which cost Christ as much bloud as your owne and tell me ingenuously whether you dare say that not onely your Christian brethren with whom you lately conuersed but euen your fore-fathers which liued vnder Queene Elizabeths first confused reformation knew not the doctrine of saluation by Christ if you say they did not your rash iudgement shall be punished fearefully by him whose office you vsurpe As you looke to answer before him that would not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax presume not thus aboue men and Angels If they did then had they sufficient claime both to true Constitution and Church But this faith must be testified by obedience so it was If you thinke not so yours is not testified by loue both were weake both were true Weaknesse in any grace or worke takes not away truth Their sinnes of ignorance could no more disanull Gods couenant with them than multiplicity of wiues with the Patriarchs SECT IX Order 2. Part of Constitution how farre requisite and whether hindered by constraint D. Allis against the Descript Confess of the Brownists Brow State of true Christians Inquire into M. White Ans ibid. Arist Pol. 3. c. 1. WHat wanted they then Nothing but Order and not all Order but yours Order a thing requisite and excellent but let the world iudge whether essentiall Consider now I beseech you in the bowels of Christ Iesus whether this be a matter for which heauen and earth should be mixed whether for want of your Order all the world must be put out of all Order and the Church out of life and being Nothing say we can be more disorderly than the confusion of your Democracie or popular state if not Anarchie Where all in a sort ordaine and excommunicate We condemne you not for no true members of the Church what can be more orderlesse by your owne confessions than the Trine-vne Church at Amsterdam which yet you grant but faulty If there be disproportion and dislocation of some parts is it no true humane body will you rise from the feast vnlesse the dishes be set on in your owne fashion Is it no Citie if there bee mudwalles halfe broken low Cottages vnequally built no State-house But your order hath more essence than you can expresse and is the same which Polititians in their trade call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorporating into one common ciuill body by a voluntary vnion and that vnder a lawfull gouernment Our Church wants both wherein there is both constraint and false office Take your owne resemblance and your owne asking Say that some Tyrant as Basilius of Ruffâ—â— shall forcibly compell a certaine number of Subiects into Mosco and shall hold them in by an awfull Garrison forcing them to new lawes and Magistrates perhaps hard and bloudy They yeeld and making the best of all liue together in a cheerefull communion with due commerce louing conuersation submissiue execution of the enioyned lawes In such case Whether is Mosco a true Cittie or not Since your Doctor cites Aristotle Arist Pol. 3 c. 1. Edesius Frumentius pueri à Meropio Tyrio Philosopho in Indiam dâ—portati postca ibi Christianam religionem plantarunt Ruffâ—n l. 1. c. 9. Foemina inter Iberâ—s let it not irke him to learne of that Philosopher who can teach him that when Calisthenes had driuen out the Tyrant from Athens and set vp a new Gouernment and receiued many strangers and bondmen into the Tribes it was doubted not which of them were Citizens but whether they were made Citizens vniustly If you should finde a company of true Christians in vtmost India would you stand vpon termes and enquire how they became so Whiles they haue what is necessary for that heauenly profession what need your curiosity trouble it selfe with the meanes SECT X. Constraint requisite 2 Chr. 33.16 2 Chr. 34.32 33. 2 Chr. 15.13 Barr. against Gyff Brow Reformation without tarrying Greenewood Conference with Cooper Browne Reformation without tarrying Conference with Doctor Andr. Master Hutch Conference with D. Andr. Reformation without tarrying Ber. Fides suadenda non cogenda Counterpoyson Dixit Pater familias seruis Quoscunque inueneritis cogite intrare c. Aug. Epist 48. Pless de Eccles c. 10. Aug. Quod si â—ogip riegem aliquem vel ad bona sicuisset vos ipsi miseri à nobis ad fidem purissimam cogi deluistis sed absit à nostra conscientia vt ad fidem nostram aliquem cogamus Aug. Epist 48. 68. Qui phreneticum ligat qui letharg excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat Ibid. Clâ—mant Neminem ad vnitatem cogendum quid hoc aliud quam quod de vobis quidam Quod volumus sanctum est YOu see then what an idle plea constraint is in the constitution of a Citie the ground of all your exception But it is otherwise in Gods citie the Church why then doth his Doctorship parallel these two And why may not euen constraint it selfe haue place in the lawfull constitution or reformation of a Church Did not Manasses after his comming home to God charge and command Iuda to serue the Lord God of Israel Did not worthy Iosiah when he had made a couenant before the Lord cause all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand to it and compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God What haue Queene Elizabeth or King Iames done more Or what other Did not Asa vpon Obeds prophesie gather both Iuda and Beniamin and all the strangers from Ephraim Manasses and Simeon and enact with them that whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God should bee slaine What meanes this peruersenesse You that teach we may not stay Princes leisure to reforme will you not allow Princes to vrge others to reforme What crime is this that men were not suffered to bee open Idolaters that they were forced to yeeld submission to Gods ordinances Euen your owne teach that Magistrates may compell Infidels to heare the doctrine of the Church and Papists you say elsewhere though too roughly are Infidels But you say not to be members of the Church Gods people are of the willing sort True Neither did they compell them to this They were before entred into the visible Church by true Baptisme though miserably corrupted They were not now initiated but purged Your subtill Doctor can tell vs from Bernard that faith is to be perswaded not to bee compelled yet let him remember that the guests must be compelled to come in though
let one of these necessities like two nailes driue out another So they haue done Nulla necessitâ—â— maior est charitate Hieron Apol. ad Ruff. Fr. Iun. de Eccl. Sed accidunt per saepe tempora quibus aut noua Ecclesia generatur aut altera pars interrumpitur scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tamen Ecclesia esse non definit forma nimirum essentiali adhuc permanente Act. 7. beg Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 9. Mem. nisse Diacom debent quoniam Apostolos id est Episcopos praepositos Dominus elega Diaconos autem post ascensum Domini in coelos Apostoli sibi constituerunt Episcopatus sui et Ecclesiae ministros Rom. 1.8 1 Cor. 1.5 1 Thes 1.7 Gal. 4.15 and your owne necessitie as the stronger hath preuailed for that other necessity might bee eluded by flight you haue sought and found else-where what the necessity of our lawes denied and the necessitie of your conscience required Beware lest vniustly Sinne is as strong bond to a good heart as impossibility Christians cannot doe what they ought not contrary to the lawes of your Prince and Country you haue fled not only from vs but from our Communion Either is disobedience no sin or might you doe this euill that good may come of it But what necessity is this simple and absolute or conditionall Is there no remedie but you must needs haue such Elders Pastors Doctors Releeuers such offices such executions Can there bee no Church no Christians without them What shall wee say of the families of the Patriarks of the Iewish congregations vnder the Law yea of Christ and his Apostles Either deny them to haue beene visible Churches or shew vs your distinct offices amongst them But as yet you say they were not Therefore God hath had a true Church thousands of yeeres without them Therefore they are not of the essence of the Church You call me to the times since Christ I demand then was there not a worthy Church of God in Ierusalem from the time of Christs Ascension till the election of the seuen Deacons Those hundred and twenty Disciples Act. 1.15 and three thousand Conuerts Act. 2.41 Those continuall Troupes that flocked to the Apostles were they no true Church Let the Apostles and Euangelists be Pastors and Doctors where were their Elders Deacons Releeuers Afterwards when Deacons were ordained yet what newes is there of Elders till Act. 11 yet that of Ierusalem was more forward than the rest We will not as you are wont argue from Scriptures negatiuely no proofe yet much probabilitie is in S. Pauls silence He writes to Rome Corinth and other Churches those his Diuine letters in a sweet Christian-ciuility salute euen ordinary Christians And would hee haue vtterly passed by all mention of these Church-officers amongst his so precise acknowledgement of lesser titles in others if they had beene ere this ordained yet all these more than true Churches famous some of them rich forward and exemplary Onely the Philippian Church is stiled with Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.2 but no Elders besides them The Churches of Christ since these if at least you will grant that Christ had any Church till now haue continued in a recorded succession through many hundreds of yeeres Search the Monuments of her Histories shew vs where euer in particular Congregations all these your necessary Offices as you describe them were either found or required It was therefore a new-no-necessitie that bound you to this course or if you had rather a necessitie of Fallibilitie If with these God may be well serued he may be well serued without them This is not that vâ—â—m necessariâ—â— that Christ commends in Marie you might haue sate still with lesse trouble and more thankes SEP But also in our most sinfull subiection to many Antichristian enormities which we are bound to eschue as hell SECTION XXI BVT besides that we ought to haue had somewhat which we want The enormities of the Church in common wee haue somewhat which we should haue wanted Some yea many Antichristian enormities To say we are absolute and neither want nor abound were the voyce of Laodicea or Tyrus in the Prophet Our Church as shee is true so humble and is as far from arrogating perfection as acknowledging falshood If she haue enormities yet not so many Fr. Iohns against M. Iacob Bar. Gyff refuted i. Transgress p. 28. or if many not Antichristian Your Cham hath espied ninetie one nakednesses in this his mother and glories to shew them All his malice cannot shew one fundamentall error and when the foule mouth of your false Martyr hath said all they are but some spots and blemishes not the old running issues and incurable botches of Aegypt the particulars shall plead for themselues These you eschew as hell While you goe on thus vncharitably both alike Doe you hate these more than Master Smith and his faction hates yours His Character shall be iudge So do we value your detestation as you his It were well for you if you eschewed these enormities lesse and hell more Your sinfull subiection to these vnchristian humors will proue more fearefull than to our Antichristian enormities SEP Shee is our mother so may shee be and yet not the Lords Wife euery mother of children is not a wife Ammi and Ruhamah were bidden to plead with their mother Apostat Israel and pleads that shee was not the Lords wife nor He her husband Ho. 2.1 2. And though you forbid vs a thousand times yet must we plead not to excuse our fault but to iustifie our innocencie and that not onely not so much in respect of our selues as of the truth which without sacrilege wee may not suffer to bee condemned vnheard And if you yet heare her not rather blame your selues as deafe than vs as dumbe Hierom. ad Eustoch Epitaph Paulae ex Psal 67. SECTION XXII The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ Cypr. de simplic Praelator Adulterari non potest spâ—â—sa Christi incorrupta est pudica 1 King 12.29 Hos 2.16.2.13 SHE may be your Mother you say and not the Lords Wife It is a good Mother that hath Children and no Husband Why did you not call her plaine Where Your old Embleme is As is the mother so is the Daughter These are the modest circumlocutions of a good Sonne who cares not to proue himselfe a Bastard that his Mother may be markt for an Harlot be you a true Lo-ammi but England shall neuer I hope proue an Apostate Israel We haue no Calues in our Dan and Bethel none of Ieroboams Idolatrie We haue still called God ISHI and neuer burnt incense to Baaliâ— It is your Synagogue that hath fallen away from vs as Israel from Iuda But these Children were bidden to plead Gods command shields them from the note of vngracious Abraham must sacrifice his Sonne and this Sonne must condemne his Mother shew vs either our equall desert or your equall warrant Where hath
God proclaimed our Church not his By whose hand hath he published her diuorce You haue shamed her wombe not she her bed not God her demeanour Your tongues are your owne who can forbid you We know you will plead and excuse and censure and defend till all the world be weary we may pray with Hierom to this sense that of the Psalmist Increpa Domine Bestiaes Calami yet we see your Pens Tongues and Presses busie and violent I will not applie to you that which Augustine of his Donatists Aug. cont Epist Parmen l. 1. Though truth compell you to be dumbe yet iniquitie will not suffer you to be silent But if you write whole Marts and worlds of Volumes you shall neuer be able either to iustifie your Innocence or excuse your fault In the meane time the noyse of your contentions is so great that your truth cannot be heard Learned Iunius and our learnedst Diuines and neighbour Churches haue oft heard your clamors neuer your truth Epist Iunij ad Separ So little haue you of this and so much of the other that wee are ready to wish as he of old either ourselues deafe or you dumbe SEP Is not Babylon the Mother of Gods people whom he therefore commandeth to depart out of her lest being partakers of her sinnes they also partake of her plagues And to conclude what say you more against vs for your Mother the Church of England than the Papists doe for their Mother and your Mothers Mother the Church of Rome against you whom they condemne as vnnaturall Bastards and impious Patricides in your separation from her SECTION XXIII THE spirit of your Proto-Martyr would hardly haue digested this title of Babylon Mother of Gods people a murdering Step-mother rather How the Church of England hath separated from Babylon Gyff refut 2. transg Reuel 18.2 Ans fore-speech to Counterpoyse Shee cannot be a Mother of Children to God and no Church of God Notwithstanding Gods people would he say may be in her not of her So Babylon bore them not but Sion in Babylon But I feare not your excesse of charitie You flye to your Doctors challenge and aske what we say against you for vs which Rome will not say for her selfe against vs Will you iustifie this Plea of Rome or not If you will why doe you reuile her If you will not why doe you obiect it Heare then what wee say both to you and them our enemies both and yet the enemies of our enemies First wee disclaime and defie your Pedigree and theirs The Church of Rome was neuer our Mothers Mother Our Christian faith came not from the seuen-hilles Neither was deriued either from Augustine the Monke A Simone Zelota Niceph. Alij à Ios Arimath cuius hic sepulchrum cernitur Angli Pascha Graeco more celebrarunt Iacob Armin. Disp Cant. 8.8 Fr. Iun. l. sing de Eccle. or Pope Gregorie Britanie had a worthy Church before either of them lookt into the world It is true that the ancient Romane Church was sister to ours heere was neere kindred no dependance And not more consanguinity than while she continued faithfull Christian loue Now she is gone a whoring her chaste sister iustly spitteth at her yet euen still if you distinguish as your learned Antagonist hath taught you betwixt the Church and Papacie she acknowledges her Sisterhood though she refraines her conuersation as she hath many slauish factious abettors of her knowne and grosse errors to whom we deny this title affirming them the body whereof Antichrist is the head the great Whore and Mother of abominations so againe how many thousands hath she which retaining the foundation according to their knowledge as our learned Whitakers had wont to say of Bernard follow Absolom with a simple heart all which to reiect from Gods Church were no better than presumptuous cruelty It were well for you before God and the world if you could as easily wash your hands of vnnaturall impiety and trecherousnesse as we of Bastardy and vniust sequestration There can be no Bastardy where was neuer any Motherhood we were nephewes to that Church neuer sonnes vnlesse as Rome was the mother City of the world so by humane institution we suffered our selues to bee ranged vnder her Patriarchall authoritie as being the most famous Church of the West a matter of courtesie and pretended Order no necessity no spirituall obligation As for our sequestration your mouth and theirs may bee stopt with this Answer As all corrupted Churches so some things the Church of Rome still holds a right a true God in three persons true Scriptures though with addition a true Christ though mangled with foule and erroneous consequences true Baptisme though shamefully deformed with rotten Traditions and many other vndeniable truths of God some other things and too many her wicked Apostasie hath deuised and maintained abhominably amisse the body of her Antichristianisme grosse errors and by iust sequell heresies their Popes Supremacie infallibility Illimitation Transubstantiation Idolatrous and superstitious worship and a thousand other of this branne In regard of all these latter wee professe to the world a iust and ancient separation from this false faith and deuotion of the Romish Church which neither you will say nor they shall euer proue faulty yea rather they haue in all these separated from vs who still irrefragably professe to hold with the ancient from whom they are departed In regard of the other wee are still with them holding and embracing with them what they hold with Christ neither will you I thinke euer prooue that in these we should differ As for our communion they haue separated vs by their proud and foolish excommunications if they had not wee would iustly haue begun from their Tyranny and Antichristianisme from their miserable Idolatry but as for the body of their poore seduced Christians which remaine amongst them vpon the true foundation as doubtlesse there are thousands of them which laugh at their Pardons Miracles Superstitions and their trust in merits reposing onely vpon Christ we adhere to them in loue and pittie and haue testified our affection by our bloud ready vpon any iust call to doe it more Phil. Morn du Plesses Lib. de Eccle. cap. 10. neither would feare to ioyne with them in any true seruice of our common God But the full discourse of this point that honourable and learned Plesses hath so forestalled that whatsoeuer I say would seeme but borrowed Vnto his rich Treatise I referre my Reader for full satisfaction Would God this point were thorowly knowne and well weighed on all parts The neglect or ignorance whereof hath both bred and nursed your separation and driuen the weake and inconsiderate into strange extremities This say wee of our selues in no more Charity than Truth But for you how dare you make this shamelesse comparison Can your heart suffer your tongue to say that there is no more difference betwixt Rome and vs than
we may not either haue or expect now in the Church that Ministery which Christ set Where are our Apostles Prophets Euangelists If we must alwayes looke for the very same administration of the Church which our Sauiour left why doe we not challenge these extraordinary functions Doe wee not rather thinke since it pleased him to begin with those Offices which should not continue that herein he purposely intended to teach vs that if we haue the same heauenly businesse done we should not be curious in the circumstances of the persons But for those ordinarie callings of Pastors and Doctors intended to perpetuity with what forehead can he deny them to be in our Church How many haue we that conscionably teach and feed or rather feed by teaching Call them what you please Superintendents that is Bishops Prelates Priests Lecturers Parsons Vicars c. If they preach Christ truly vpon true inward abilities vpon a sufficient if not perfect outward vocation such a one let all histories witnes for the substance as hath bin euer in the Church since the Apostles times they are Pastors and Doctors allowed by Christ Vbi res conuenit quis non verba contemnat Aug. de Ord. n. 2. We stand not vpon circumstances and appendances of the fashions of ordination manner of choice attire titles maintenance but if for substance these be not true Pastors and Doctors Christ had neuer any in his Church since the Apostles left the earth All the difficultie is in our outward calling Let the Reader grant our graue and learned Bishops to be but Christians and this will easily bee euinced lawfull euen by their rules For Brow state of Christians if with them euery Plebeian Artificer hath power to elect and ordaine by vertue of his Christian profession the act of the worthiest standing for all how can they deny this right to persons qualified besides common graces with wisdome learning experience authority Either their Bishopricke makes them no Christians a position which of all the world besides this Sect would be hissed at or else their hands imposed are thus farre by the rules of Separatists effectuall Now your best course is like to an Hare that runnes backe from whence she was started to flie to your first hold No Church therefore no Ministery So now not the Church hath deuised the Ministery but the Ministery hath deuised the Church I follow you not in that idle circle Thence you haue beene hunted already But now since I haue giuen account of ours I pray you tell me seriously Who deuised your Office of Ministery I dare say not Christ not his Apostles not their Sucessors What Church euer in the world can be produced vnlesse in case of extremity for one turne whose conspiring multitude made themselues Ministers at pleasure what rule of Christ prescribes it What reformed Church euer did or doth practise it what example warrants it where haue the inferiours laid hands vpon their Superiours What congregation of Christendome in all records afforded you the necessary patterne of an vnteaching Pastor or an vnfeeding Teacher It is an old policy of the faulty to complaine first Certainly there was neuer Popish Legend a more errand deuice of man than some parts of this Ministery of yours so much gloried in for sincere correspondence to the first Institution SECTION XXVIII Confused CoÌ„munion of the profane Perplexae sunt istae duae ciuitates in hoc seculo inuicemque permixtae dâ—â—ec vltimo iudicio dirimantur Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 13.3 Eze. 18.20 Orig. Vnusquisque propter proprium peccatuÌ„ morietur in propria iustitia viuet c. Fr. Iohns Artic. against the Dutch and Fr. Answ against Broughton Discouer of Brown Troubles and excom at Amst Charact. praef lidem in publico accusatores in occulto rei in semetipsos censores pariter nocentes DaÌ„nant fâ—ris quod intus operantur YOur scornfull exception at the confused communion of the profane multitude sauours strong of Pharisee who thought it sinne to conuerse cum terrae filijs the base vulgar and whose very Phylacteries did say Touch me not for I am cleaner than thou This multitude is profane you say and this communion confused If some be profane yet not all for then could be no confusion in the mixture If some be not profane why doe you not loue them as much as you hate the other If all maine truths be taught amongst some godly some profane why will you more shun those profane then cleaue to those Truths and those godly If you haue duly admonished him detested bewailed his sin what is another mans profanenesse to you If profanenes be not punished or confusion be tollerated it is their sin whom it concerneth to redresse them If the Officers sin must we run from the Church It is a famous pregnant protestation of God by Ezekiel The righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednes of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe And if the Fathers sowre Grapes cannot hurt the childrens teeth how much lesse shall the neighbours But whither will you runne from this Communion of the profane The same fault you finde with the Dutch and French yea in your owne How well haue you auoyded it in your separation let M. White George Iohnson Master Smith be sufficient witnesses whose plentifull reports of your known vncleanesses smothered mischiefes malicious proceedings corrupt packings communicating with knowne offenders bolstering of sinnes and willing conniuences as they are shamefull to relate so might well haue stopt your mouth from excepting at our confused Communion of the profane SEP Shall some generall Truths yea though few of them in the particulars may be soundly practised sweeten and sanctifie the other Errours Doth not one Heresie make an Heretike and doth not a little Leuen whether in doctrine or manners leauen the whole lumpe 1 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 Hag. 2.13 If Antichrist held not many truths wherewith should he couâ—tenance so many forgeries or how could his worke bee a mysterie of iniquitie which in Rome is more grosse and palpable but in England spunne with a finer threede and so more hardly discouered But towâ—â—de no further in vniuersalities we will take a little time to examine such particulars as you your selfe haue picked out for your most aduantage to see whether you bee so cleare of Babels Towers in your owne euidence as you beare the world in hand SECTION XXIX HOw many and grieuous errors are mingled with our Truths shall appeare sufficiently in the sequell If any want let it bee the fault of the accuser Our Errors intermingled with Truth It is enough for the Church of Amsterdam to haue no errors But ours are grieuous Name them that our shame may be sequell to your griefe So many they are Barr. Confer with M. Hutchins c. and D. Andr. so grieuous that your Martyr when he was vrged to instance could finde none but our opinion concerning
sinnes be not attributed to them Thirdly That the Church bee not troubled with their multitude Aug. Epist 86. In his enim rebus de quibus nihil certâ— statuiâ— Scriptura Diuina mos populi Dei vel instituta matorum pro lege tuâ—â—da sunt Liuius Dcca l. 4 Nulla lex sâ—tis â—â—â—moda omnibus est id modo quaeritâ—â— si matorâ— partâ— in suâ—â—â—ma proâ—est Fourthly that they be not decreed as necessarie and not to be changed And lastly that men be not so tied to them but that by occasion they may bee omitted so it be without offence and contempt you see our limits but your feare is in this last contrary to his He stands vpon offence in omitting you in vsing As if it were a iust offence to displease a beholder no offence to displease and violate authoritie What Law could euer be made to offend none Wise Cato might haue taught you this in Liuie that no Law can bee commodious to all Those lips which preserue knowledge must impart so much of it to their hearers as to preuent their offence Neither must Law-giuers euer foresee what constructions will be of their Lawes but what ought to bee Those things which your Consistory imposes may you keepe them if you list Is not the willing neglect of your owne Parlour-Decrees punished with Excommunication And now what is all this to infallibility The sacred Synod determines these indifferent Rites for decencie and comlinesse to be vsed of those whom it concernes therefore it arrogates to it selfe infallibilitie A conclusion fit for a Separatist Cum consedissent sancti â—cligiosi Episcopi â—in Tom. 1. p. 239. Sancta Synod Câ—rthagi 4. sub Anastasio 553. Sancta Pacifica Synod Antiochen 1. p. â—20 Sancta Dei Apostolica Synodus 413. Peruenit ad Sanctam Synodum Can. Nic. 18 309. Sancta Synod Laodâ—ccoâ— 288. You stumble at the Title of Sacred euery straw lies in your way your Calepine could haue taught you that Houses Castles Religious businesses old age it selfe haue this stile giuen them And Virgil vittasque resoluit Sacrati capitis no Epithere is more ordinary to Councells and Synods The reason whereof may be fetched from that Inscription of the Elibertine Synod of those nineteene Bishops is said When the holy and Religious Bishops were set How few Councels haue not had this Title To omit the late The Holy Synod of Carthage vnder Anastasius The Holy and peaceable Synod at Antioch The Holy Synod of God and Apostolicall at Rome vnder Iulius The Holy and great Synod at Nice and not to bee endlesse The Holy Synod of Laodicea though but prouinciall What doe these Idle exceptions argue but want of greater SEP To let passe your Ecclesiasticall Consistories wherein sinnes and absolutions from them are as veniall and saleable as at Rome Is it not a Law of the Eternall God that the Ministers of the Gospell the Bishops or Elders should bee apt and able to teach 1 Timoth. 3.2 Titus 1.9 and is it not their grieuous sinne to bee vnapt hereunto Esa 56.10 11. And yet who knoweth not that the Patrons amongst you present that the Bishops institute the Archdeacons induct the Churches receiue and the Lawes both Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall allow and iustifie Ministers vnapt and vnable to teach Is it not a Law of the Eternall God that the Elders should feed the stock ouer which they are set labouring amongst them in the Word and Doctrine Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 5.1 2. And is it not sin to omit this duty Plead not for Baall Your Dispensations for Non-residencie and Pluralities of Benefices as for two three or more yea tot quot as many as a man will haue or can get are so many Dispensations with the Lawes of God and sinnes of men These things are too impious to bee defended and too manifest to bee denied SECTION XXXIII SOME great men when they haue done ill out-face their shame with enacting Lawes to make their sins lawfull While you thus charge our practise Sinnes fold in our Courts you bewray your owne Who hauing separated from Gods Church deuise slanders to colour your sinne Wee must bee shamfull that you may bee innocent You load our Ecclesiasticall Consistories with a shamelesse reproach Farre bee it from vs to iustifie any mans personall sinnes yet it is safer sinning to the better part Fie on these odious comparisons sinnes as saleable as at Rome Who knowes not that to be the Marâ— of all the World Periuries Murders Treasons are there bought and sold when euer in ours The Popes coffers can easily confute you alone What tell you vs of these let me tell you Mony is as fit an aduocate in a Consistorie as fauour or malice These some of yours haue complained of as bitterly as you of ours As if we liked the abuses in Courts G. Iohns Trouble and Excommunications at Amsterdam as if corrupt executions of wholesom Lawes must bee imputed to the Church whose wrongs they are No lesse hainous nor more true in that which followeth True Elders not yours should be indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This wee call for as vehemently not so tumultuously as yourselues That they should feed their Flockes with Word and Doctrine we require more than you That Patrons present Bishops institute Arch-Deacons induct some which are unable we grant and bewaile But that our Church-Lawes iustifie them wee deny and you slander For our Law if you know not requires that euery one to bee admitted to the Ministery should vnderstand the Articles of Religion Can. 34. not only as they are compendiously set downe in the Creed but as they are at large in our Booke of Articles neither vnderstand them onely but be able to proue them sufficiently out of the Scripture and that not in English onely but in Latine also This competencie would proue him for knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If this bee not performed blame the persons cleere the Law Profound Master Hooker tels you that both Arguments from light of Nature Lawes and Statutes of Scripture the Canons that are taken out of ancient Synods M. Hookers fift booke of Ecclesiasticall Politic. Pag. 26.3 the Decrees and Constitutions of sincerest times the sentences of all antiquity and in a word euery mans full consent and conscience is against ignorance in them that haue charge and cure of soules And in the same booke Did any thing more aggrauate the crime of Ieroboams Apostasie than that he chose to haue his Clergie the scumme and refuse of his whole Land Let no man spare to tell it them D. Dâ—wnâ—m of the office and dignitie of the Ministery Counterpoys pag. 179. Dist 34. Can. Lector Papa potest contra Apostolum dispensare Caus 25. q. 1. Can. sunt quidaÌ„ Dispensat in Euangelio c. De concess praebend Tit. 8. Ca. they are not faithfull towards God that burden wilfully his Church with such swarmes of vnworthy Creatures Neither is
it long since a zealous and learned Sermon dedicated to our present Lord Archbishop by his owne Chaplaine hath no lesse taxed this abuse whether of insufficiencie or negligence though with more discretion than can bee expected from your malicious Pen. Learne henceforth not to diffuse crimes to the innocent For the rest your Baal in our Dispensations for Pluralities would thus plead for himselfe First he would bid you learne of your Doctor to distinguish of sinnes sinnes saith hee are either controuertible or manifest if controuertible or doubtfull men ought to beare one with anothers different iudgement if they doe not c. they sinne such is this if some be resolued others doubt and in whole Volumes plead whether conuenience or necessity how could your charitie compare these with sinnes euicted Secondly Propâ—suit secundum plenitudirem pâ—testatis de iure posâ—â—mus supra iuâ— d spensare Glossâ— pâ—ulo infra Papa coÌ„tra Apostolum dispensat c. SuÌ„ confer p. 52. M. Wâ—ites disco hee would tell you that these Dispensations are intended and directed not against the offence of God but the danger of Humane Lawes not securing from sinne but from losse But for both these points of Non-residence and insufficiencie if you sought not rather strife than satisfaction his Maiesties Speech in the Conference at Hampton Court might haue stayed the course of your quarrellous Pen No reasonable minde but would rest in that Gracious and royall determination Lastly Why looke you not to your owne Elders at home euen your handfull hath not auoided this crime of Non-residency What wonder is it if our world of men haue not escaped SEP You are wiser and I hope honester than thus to attempt though that receiued Maxime amongst you No Ceremony no Bishop no Bishop no King sauours too strongly of that Weed But what though you be loyall to earthly Kings and their Crownes and Kingdomes yet if you bee Traytâ—â—â— and Rebels agains the King of his Church Iesus Christ and the Scepter of his Kingdome not suffering him by his Lawes and officers to reigne ouer you but in stead of them doe stâ—â—p to Antichrist in his offices and Ordinances shall your loyaltie towards men excuse your Treasons against the Lord though you now cry neuer folowd Wee haue no King but Caesar Iohn 19.15 yet is there another King one Iesus which shall returne and passe a heauy doome vpon the Rebellion Luke 19.27 These enemies which would not haue me reigne ouer them bring them and slay them before me SECTION XXXIIII Our Loyaltie to Princes cleered theirs questioned Bar. against Gyfford Inconst of Brown p. 113. YOv that confesse our wisedome and honesty must now plead for your owne your hope is not more of vs than our feare of you To depose Kings dispose Kingdomes is a proud worke you want power but what is our will For Excommunication it is cleere enough While you fully hold that euery priuate man hath as much power in this censure as the Pastor and that Princes must be equally subiect with them to these their censures Let any man now deuise if the Brownists could haue a King how that King could stand one day vnexcommunicated Or if this censure meddle onely with his soule not with his Scepter How more than credible is it that some of your Assemblies in Queene ELIzABETHS dayes concluded Ibid. that shee was not euen in our sense Supreme Head of the Church neither had authority to make Lawes Ecclesiasticall in the Church Inquiry into Th. White It is well if you will disclaime it But you know your receiued position That no one Church is Superiour to other No authoritie therefore can reuerse this Decree your will may doe it yea what better than Rebellion appears in your next clause While you accuse our Loyaltie to an earthly King as treasonable to the King of the Church Christ Iesus If our Loyalty be a sinne where is yours If we be Traytors in our obedience what doe you make of him that commands it Pag. 36. Whether you would haue vs each man to play the Rex and erect a new Gouernment or whether you accuse vs as Rebels to Christ in obeying the old GOD blesse King IAMES from such Subiects But whose is that so vnsauourie weed No Bishop no King Know you whom you accuse let me shew you your Aduersarie it is King IAMES himselfe in his Hampton Conference is there not now suspition in the word surely you had cause to feare that the King would proue no good subiect Belike not to Christ What doe you else in the next but proclaime his opposition to the King of Kings or ours in not opposing his Esa 26.13 As if we might say with the Israelites O Lord our God other Lords besides thee haue ruled vs If we would admit each of your Elders to be so many Kings in the Church wee should stoope vnder Christs Ordinances Shew vs your Commission and let it appeare whether we be Enemies or you Vsurpers Alas you both refuse the rule of this true Deputie and set vp false Let this fearefull doome of Christ light where it is most due Euen so let thine enemies perish O Lord. SEP Not to speake of the errour of vniuersall Grace and consequently of Free-will that groweth on â—pace amongst you what doe you else but put in for a part with God inconuersion though not through freedome of will yet in a deuised Ministery the meanes of conuersion it being the Lords peculiar as well to appoint the outward Ministery of conuersion as to giue the inward grace SECTION XXXV GOe on to slander Euen that which you say you will not speake you do speake with much spight and no truth Errors of Free-will c. fained vpon the Church of England What hath our Church to doe with errors of vniuersall grace or Free-will Errors which her Articles doe flatly oppose what shamelesnesse is this Is shee guilty euen of that which shee condemnes If some few priuate iudgements shall conceiue or bring forth an error shall the whole Church doe penance Would God that wicked and hereticall Anabaptisme did not more grow vpon you than those errours vpon vs you had more neede to defend than accuse But see Christian Reader how this man draggs in crimes vpon vs as Cacus did his 〈◊〉 We doe forsooth part stakes with God in our conuersion wherein in a deuised Ministerie the meanes of conuersion well fetcht about There may bee a Ministerie without a conuersion and è conuerso There may be a conuersion without a Ministery Where now are the stakes parted 1 Cor. 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet thus we part stakes with the Apostle that wee are Gods Fellow-labourers in this great worke He hath separated vs to it and ioyned vs with him in it it is he as we haue proued that hath deuised our Ministerie yea your selfe shall proue it it is his peculiar to appoint the outward Ministery
you thus Why doth the same Prayer written adde to the Word which spoken addeth not Because conceiued Prayer is commanded not the other But first not your particular Prayer Secondly without mention either of conception or memorie God commands vs to pray in spirit and with the heart These circumstances onely as they are deduced from his Generals so are ours But whence soeuer it please you to fetch our Booke of publike Prayer from Rome or Hell or to what Image soeuer you please to resemble it Let moderate spirits heare what the pretious IEVVEL of England saith of it We haue come as neere as we could to the Church of the Apostles Apolog. p. 170. Accessimus c. H. Burr against Gyfford c. neither onely haue we framed our Doctrine but also our Sacraments and the forme of publike Prayers according to their Rites and Institutions Let no Iew now obiect Swines-flesh to vs He is no iudicious man that I may omit the mention of Cranmer Bucer Ridley Taylor c. some of whose hands were in it all whose voyces were for it with whom one IEWEL will not ouer-weigh ten thousand Separatists SEP The number of Sacraments seemes greater amongst you by one at the least than Christ hath left in his Testament and that is Marriage which howsoeuer you doe not in expresse termes call a Sacrament no more did Christ and the Apostles call Baptisme and the Supper Sacraments yet doe you in truth create it a Sacrament in the administration and vse of it There are the parties to bee married and their marriage representing Christ and his Church and their spirituall vnion to which mysterie saith the Oracle of your Seruice-Booke expresly God hath consecrated them there is the Ring hallowed by the said Seruice-Booke whereon it must bee laid for the Element there are the words of consecration In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost there is the place the Church the time vsually the Lords day the Minister the Parish Priest And being made as it is a part of Gods Worship and of the Ministers office what is it if it be not a Sacrament It is a part of Prayer or preaching and with a Sacrament it hath the greatest consimilitude but an Idoll I am sure it is in the celebration of it being made a Ministeriall duty and part of Gods worship without warrant call it by what name you will SECTION XXXVIII HOw did Confirmation escape this number how did Ordination Marriage not made a Sacrament by the Church of England it was your ouer-sight I feare not your charitie some things seeme and are not such is this your number of our Sacraments you will needs haue vs take-in marriage into this ranke why so wee doe not you confesse call it a Sacrament as the vulgar misinterpreting Pauls Mysterium Eph. 5. why should we not if we so esteemed it wherfore â—erue names but to denotate the nature of things if wee were not ashamed of the opinion we could not be ashamed of the word No more say you did Christ and his Apostles call Baptisme and the Supper Sacraments but we doe and you with vs See now whether this clause doe not confute your last where hath Christ euer said There are two Sacraments Yet you dare say so what is this but in your sense an addition to the word yea we say flatly there are but two yet we doe you say in truth create it a Sacrament how oft and how resolutely hath our Church maintained against Rome that none but Christ immediately can create Sacraments If they had this aduantage against vs how could we stand How wrongfull is this force to fasten an opinion vpon our Church which she hath condemned But wherein stands this our creation It is true the parties to bee married and their marriage represent Christ and his Church and their spirituall vnion Beware lest you strike God through our sides what hath Gods Spirit said either lesse or other then this Eph. 5.25 26 27 32. Doth he not make Christ the husband the Church his Spouse Doth he not from that sweete coniunction and the effects of it argue the deare respects that should bee in marriage Or what doth the Apostle aâ—â—nde else-where vnto when hee saies as Moses of Eue wee are flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone And how famous amongst the ancient is that resemblance of Eue taken out of Adams side sleeping to the Church taken out of Christs side sleeping on the Crosse Since marriage therefore so clearely represents this mysterie and this vse is holy and sacred what error is it to say that marriage is consecrated to this mysterie But what is the Element The Ring These things agree not you had before made the two parties to bee the matter of this sacrament What is the matter of the Sacrament but the Element If they be the matter they are the Element and so not the Ring both cannot be If you will make the two parties to be but the receiuers how doth all the mysterie lie in their representation Or if the Ring be the Element then all the mysterie must be in the Ring not in the parties Labor to bee more perfect ere you make any more new Sacraments but this Ring is laid vpon the Seruice-booke why not For readinesse not for holinesse Nay but it is hallowed you say by the booke If it bee a Sacramentall Element it rather hallowes the booke than the booke it you are not mindfull enough for this trade But what exorcismes are vsed in this hallowing Or who euer held it any other than a ciuill pledge of fidelitie Then follow the words of Consecration I pray you what difference is there betwixt hallowing and consecration The Ring was hallowed before the booke now it must be consecrated How iâ—ely By what words In the name of the Father c. These words you know are spoken after the Ring is put on was it euer heard of that a SacrameÌ„tall Element was consecrated after it was applied See how-il your slanders are digested by you The place is the Church the time is the Lords day the Minister is the actor and is it not thus in all â—â—her reformed Churches aswell as ours Behold wee are not alone all Churches in the world if this will doe it are guiltie of three Sacraments Tell me would you not haue marriage solemnized publikely You cannot mislike though your founder seemes to require nothing heere but notice giuen to witnesses then to bed Well if publike Brâ— state of Christians 17â— you account it withall a graue and weighty businesse therefore such as must be sanctified by publike praier What place is fitter for publike praier than the Church Who is fitter to offer vp the publike prayer than the Minister who should rather ioyne the parties in Mariage than the publike deputy of that God who solemnly ioyned the first couple who rather than hee which in the
name of God may blesse them The prayers which accompany this solemnitie are parts of Gods worship not the contract it selfe This is a mixt action therefore compounded of Ecclesiasticall and ciuill imposed on the Minister not vpon necessity but expedience neither essential to him but accidentally annexed for greater conuenience These two friuolous grounds haue made your cauill either very simple or very wilfull SEP Your Court of faculties from whence your dispensations and tolerations for Non-residency and Plurality of Benefices are had together with your commuting of Penances and absoluing one man for another Take away this power from the Prelates and you maime the Beast in a limme SECTION XXXIX SEE if this man be not hard driuen for accusations when he is faine to repeate ouer the very same crime Commutation of Penance in our Church which he had largely vrged before All the world will know that you want variety when you send in these twice-sod Coleworts Somewhat yet we finde new Commutation of Penance Our Courts would tell you that here is nothing dispenced with but some ceremony of shame in the confession which in the greater sort is exchanged for a common benefit of the poore into a pecuniary mulct yet say they not so as to abridge the Church of her satisfaction by the confession of the offender and if you grant the Ceremony deuised by them why doe you finde fault that it is altered or commuted by them As for Absolution you haue a spite at it because you sought it and were repulsed If the censures be but their owne so you hold why blame you the managing of them in what maner seemes best to the authors This power is no more a limme of the Prelacy than our Prelacy is that Beast in the Reuelation and our Prelacy holds it selfe no more S. Iohns beast then it holds you S. Pauls beast Phil. 3.2 Sep. In your High Commission Court very absolute where by the Oath Ex Officio men are constrained to accuse themselues of such things as whereof no man will or can accuse them what necessity is laid vpon men in this case let your prisons witnesse SECTION XL. Oath Ex officio I Aske of Auricular Confession you send me to our High Commission Court these two are much alike But here is also very absolute necessity of confession True but as in a case of iustice not of shrift to cleare a truth not to obtaine absolution to a bench of Iudges not to a Priests eare Here are too many ghostly Fathers for an auricular confession But you will mistake it is enough against vs that men are constrained in these courts to confesse against themselues why name you these courts onely Euen in others also oathes are vrged not onely ex officio mercenario but noâ—ili The honorablest Court of Star-chamber giues an oath in a criminall case to the defendant So doth the Chancery and Court of Requests Shortly to omit forraine examples how many instances haue you of this like proceeding in the common Lawes of this Land But withall you might learne that no Enquiry Ex officio may be thus made but vpon good grounds D. Cosâ—â—s his Apol. as Fame Scandall vehement presumption c. going before and giuing iust cause of suspicion Secondly D. Auâ—r determ de Iurâ—â—â—rando 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 5.12 Icsh 7.19 1 Sam. 14 43. G. Iohns M. Crud Trouble at Amsterd p. 132. Non potest quis in vna causa eodem momâ—nto duas portarepersonas vt in eodem iudicio accusator sit iudâ—â— Optat. 〈◊〉 7. that this proceeding is not allowed in any case of crime whereby the life or limmes of the examined party may be indangered nor yet where there is a iust suspition of future periury vpon such enforcement Thus is the suspected wife vrged to cleare hâ—â— honesty by oath Thus the Master of the house must cleare his truth Exod. â—â— 8 Thus Aâ—â—an and Ionathan were vrged to be their owne accusers though not by oath But if perhap◠〈…〉 Iusticer in their proceedings must this b◠〈…〉 petty-Courts at ho◠〈…〉 onely to the Commission Court of England but to the Inquisition of Spaine See 〈◊〉 your Pastor defending himselfe to be both an accuser and Iudge in the same cause See their proceedings Ex Officio without commission and if your prisons cannot witnesse it your excommunications may SEP Though you haue lost the Shrines of Saints yet you retaine their daâ—es and those holy as the Lords day and that with good profit to your spirituall carnall Courts from such as pâ—â—fane them with the least and most lawfull 〈◊〉 notwithstanding the liberty of the siâ— dayes labour which the Lord hath giuen and as much would the Masters of these Courts bee stirred at the Casting of these Saints dayes out of the Calender 〈◊〉 were the Masters of the possessed maid when the Spirit of diuination was cast out of her Act. 1â— 19 SECTION XLI WEe haue not lost but cast away the Idolatrous shrines of Saints Holy-dayes how obserued in the Church of England their daies we retaine theirs not for worship of them which our Church condemneth but partly for â—ommoâ— oration of their high deserts and excellent examples partly for distinction indeed therefore Gods dayes and not theirs their praises redound to him shew vs where we implore them where wee consecrate daies to their seruice The maine end of Holy-daies is for the seruice of God and some Socr. l. 5. c. 21. Est 9.17 Nehe. 12.27 1 Mac. 4.29 Iohn 10.13 Aug. Ep. 44. Scias à Christianis Catholicis nullum coli mortuorum nihil denique vt numen adâ—rari quod fit factum condituâ—â— Ã Deo Quae tolo orbe terrarum c. sicuti quoque Domini passio resurrectio in coelum ascensus aduentus Spiritus sancti anniuersar à solemnitate câ—â—ebrantur Aug. Epist 118. Churches of France and Flanders in Harâ— confess Th Whites Discouer p. 1â— as Socrates sets downe of old quo se à láborum conteâ—â—ione relaxâ—â—â— for relaxation from labour and if such daies may be appointed by the Church as were the Holy daies of Pâ—rim of the dedication of the wall of Ierusalem the dedication of the Temple whose names should they rather beare though but for meere distinction than the blessed Apostles of Christ But his is a colour onely for you equally condemne those dayes of Christs Birth Ascension Circumcision Resurrection Anunciation which the Church hath beyond all memory celebrated what then is our fault Wee keepe these holy as the Lords day in the same manner though not in the same degree Indeed we come to the Church and worship the God of the Martyrs and Saints is this yet our offence No but we abstaine from our most lawfull labour in them True yet not in conscience of the day but in obedience to the Church If the Church shall indict a solemne Fast doe you not hold
it contemptuous to spend that day iâ— lawfull labour notwithstanding that liberty of the six dayes which God hath giuen Why shall that be lawfull in a case of deiection which may not in praise and exultation If you had not loued to cauill you would rather haue accepted the Apology or excuse of our sister Churches in this behalfe than aggrauated these uncharitable pleas of your owne yet euen in this your owne Synagogue at Amsterdam if we may beleeue your owne is not altogether guiltlesse your hands are still and your shops shut vpon festiuall dayes But we accuse you not would God this were your worst The Masters of our Courts would tell you they would not care so much for this dispossession as that it should be done by such coniurers as your selfe SEP If an ignorant and vnpreaching Ministery be approued amongst you and the people constrained by all kinde of violence to submit vnto it and therewith to rest as what a more vsuall throughout the whole kingdome then let no modest man once open his mouth to deny that ignorance is constrained and approued amongst you If the seruice said or sung in the Parish Church may be called deuotion then faâ—e there is good store of vnknowne deuotion the greatest part in most parishes neither knowing nor regarding what is said nor wherefore SECTION XLII Our approbation of an vnlearned Ministery disproued YOur want of quarrels makes you still runne ouer the same complaints which if you redouble a thousand times wil not become iust may become tedious God knowes how far we are from approuing an vnlearned Ministery The protestations of our gracious King our Bishops our greatest Patrons of conformity in their publike writings might make you ashamed of this bold assertion we doe not allow that it should be we bewaile that it will be our number of Parishes compared with our number of Diuines will soone shew that either many Parishes must haue none or some Diuines must haue many Congregations or too many Congregations must haue scarce Diuine-Incumbents Confer at Hampt Our deare Souereigne hath promised a medecine for this disease But withall tels you that Ierusalem was not built all on a day The violence you speake of is commonly in case of wilfull contempt not of honest and peaceable desired further instruction or in supposall of some tolerable ability in the Ministery forsaken we do heartily pray for labourers into this haruest we do wish that all Israel could prophesie we publish the Scriptures we Preach Catechise Write and Lord thou knowest how many of vs would doe more if wee knew what more could bee done for the information of thy people and remedy of this ignorance which this aduersary reproues vs to approue We doubt not but the seruice said in our Parish-Churches is as good a seruice to God as the extemporary deuotions in your Parlours But It is an vnknowne deuotion you say Through whose fault The Readers or the Hearers or the Matter Distinct reading you cannot deny â—o the most Parishes the matter is easie Prayers and English Scriptures if the hearers be regardlesse or in some things dull of conceit lay the fault from the Seruice to the men All yours are free from ignorance free from wandering conceits we enuy you not some knowledge is no better than some ignorance and carelesnesse is no worse than mis-regard SEP What are your sheet-penances for adultery and all your purse-penances for all other sinnes than which though some worse in Popery yet none more common SECTION XLIII Penances inioyned in the Church of England COmming now to the Vaults of Popery I aske for their Penances and Purgatory those Popish Penances which presumptuous Confessors enioyned as satisfactory and meritorious vpon their bold absolutions You send me to Sheeâ—-penances and Purse-penances the one ceremonious corrections of shame enioyned and adioyned to publike Confessions of vncleannesse Saccâ— cinâ—ri incubare corpâ—â— fordibus â—bscurareÌ„ presbyteris aduoluâ— aris Dei adgeniculari Tert. de penit for the abasing of the offender and hate of the sin such like as the ancient Church thought good to vse for this purpose Hence they were appointed as Tertullian speaketh in sackcloth and ashes to craue the prayers of the Church to besmeare their body with filthinesse to throw themselues down before Gods minister Altar not to mention other more hard perhaps no lesse ancient Rites and hence were those fiue stations of the Penitent whereby he was at last receiued into the body of his wonted Communion Canon Greg. Neocaesar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the other a pecuniarie mulct imposed vpon some not all you foulely slander vs lesse hainous offences as a penalty not as a penance I hope you deny not Sodomy Murder Robbery and which you would not Theft it selfe is more deeply auenged But did euer any of ours vrge either sheet or puse as the remedy of Purgatory or enioyne them to auoid those infernall paines vnlesse we do so our Penances are not Popish our Answerer is idle SEP Touching Purgatory though you deny the doctrine of it and teach the contrary yet how well your practise sutes with it let it be considered in these particulars Your absoluing of men dying excommunicate after they be dead and before they may haue Christian buriall Your Christian buriall in holy ground if the party will be at the charges your ringing of hallowed bels for the soule your singing the Corps to the graue from the Church stile your praying ouer or for the dead especially in these words That God would hasten his Kingdome that wee with this our Brother though his life were neuer so wretched and death desperate and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy Name may haue our perfect consummation both in body and soule Your generall doctrines and your particular practises agree in this as in the most other things like Harpe and Harrow In word you professe many truths which in deed you deny These and many moe Popish deuices by others at large discouered to the world both for pompe and profit are not onely not raâ—ed and buried in the dust but are aduanced amongst you aboue all that is called God SECTION XLIV YOur next accusation is more ingeniously malicious The practises of the Church of England coÌ„cerning the funerals of the Dead our Doctrine you grant contrary to Purgatory but you will fetch it out of our practise that we may build that which we destroy Let vs therfore purge our selues from your Purgatory We absolue men dying excommunicate a rare practise and which yet I haue not liued to see but if Law-makers contemne rare occurrents surely accusers doe not Once is too much of an euill Marke then Doe we absolue his Soule after the departure No what hath the body to doe with Purgatory Yet for the body doe we by any absolution seeke to quit it from sinne Nothing lesse reason it selfe giues vs that
6. Leuistis proculdubio pallas Iudicate quid de coâ—â—cibus fecistis Aut vtrumque lauate aut c. Si quod tangit aspectus lauandum est vt parietes c. Videmus rectum videmus coelum c. haec à vobis lauaâ—i non possunt The very name it selfe if at least you haue vnderstood it Kirke or Church which is nothing but an abbreuiation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords house might haue taught you that ours were dedicated to God theirs to the Deuill in their false gods Augustine answers you as directly as if he were in my roome The Gentiles saith he to their gods erected Temples wee not Temples vnto our Martyrs as vnto Gods but memorials as vnto dead men whose spirits with God are still liuing These then if they were abused by Popish Idolatrie is there no way but Downe with them downe with them to the ground Well fare the Donatists yet your old friends they but washed the walles that were polluted by the Orthodoxe by the same token that Optatus askes them why they did not wash the bookes which ours toucht and the heauens which they lookt vpon What are the very stones sinfull what can be done with them The very earth where they should lye on heapes would bee vncleane But not their pollution angers you more than their proud Maiestie What house can bee too good for the Maker of all things As God is not affected with State so is he not delighted in basenesse If the pompe of the Temple were ceremoniall yet it leaues this moralitie behinde it that Gods house should be decent and what if goodly If we did put holinesse in the stones as you doe vncleanenesse it might be sinne to bee costly Let mee tell you there may bee as much pride in a clay wall as in a carued Proud Maiestie is better than proud basenesse the stone or clay will offend in neither we may in both If you loue cottages the auncient Christians with vs loued to haue Gods house stately as appeares by the example of that worthy Bishop of Alexandria Athanas Apol. Euseb de vita Const Oâ—bo Frising l. 5. c. 3. and that gracious Constantine in whose daies these sacred piles began to lift vp their heads vnto this enuied height Take you your owne choyce giue vs ours let vs neitheir repine nor scorne at each other SEP But your Temples especially your Cathedrall and mother Churches stand still in their proud Maiestie possessed by Arch-Bishops and Lord-Bishops like the Flamins and Arch-Flamins amongst the Gentiles from whom they were deriued and furnished with all manner of pompous and superstitious monuments as carued and painted Images Massing-Copes and Surplices chanting and Organ-musicke and many other glorious ornaments of the Romish Harlot by which her Maiestie is commended to and admired by the vulgar so farre are you in these respects for being gone or fled yea or crept either out of Babylon Now if you be thus Babylonish where you repute your selues most Sion-like and thus confounded in your owne euidence what defence could you make in the things whereof an aduersary would challenge you If your light be darknesse how great is your darkenesse SECTION XLVI ALL this while I feared you had beene in Popish Idolatry The Founders and Furnitures of our Churches now I finde you in Heathenish These our Churches are still possessed by their Flamins and Arch Flamins I had thought none of our Temples had beene so ancient certainly I finde but one poore ruinous building reported to haue worne out this long tyranny of time For the most you might haue read their age and their Founders in open records But these were deriued from those surely the Churches as much as the men It is true the Flamins and whateuer other heathen Priests were put downe Lumb l. 4. dist 24. Isid l. 7. Etymol cap. 12. Theophilus Episc cum caeteras statuas deorum confringereâ— vnam integram seruari iussit eamque in loco publico crexit vt Christian Bishops were set vp Are these therefore deriued from those Christianity came in the roome of Iudaisme was it therefore deriued from it Before you told vs that our Prelacie came from that Antichrist of Rome now from the Flamins of the Heathen Both no lesse than either If you cannot be true yet learne to be constant But what meane you to charge our Churches with carued painted Images It is well you write to those that know them Why did not you say wee bow our knees to them and offer incense Perhaps you haue espied some olde dustie statue in an obscure corner couered ouer with Cob-webs Gentiles tempore progrediente non inficiâ—rentur se iuâ—â—smodi deos coluisse Ammonius Grammaticus hacdere valde discruciatus Dixit grauem plagèm religioni Graecorum inflictam quod illa vna statua non cuerteretur Socrat. l. 5. c. 16. with halfe a face that miserably blemisht or perhaps halfe a Crucifixe inuerted in a Church-window and these you surely noted for English Idols no lesse dangerous glasse you might haue seene at Geneua a Church that hates Idolatry as much as you doe vs What more Massing Copes and Surplices some Copes if you will more Surplices no Massing Search your bookes againe you shall finde Albes in the Masse no Surplices As for Organ-musicke you should not haue fetcht it from Rome but from Ierusalem In the Reformed Church at Middleburgh you might haue found this skirt of the Harlot which yet you grant at least crept out of Babylon Iudge now Christian Reader of the weight of these grand exceptions and see whether ten thousand such were able to make vs no Church and argue vs not onely in Babylon but to be Babylon it selfe Thus Babylonish we are to you and thus Sion-like to God euery true Church is Gods Sion euery Church that holds the Foundation is true according to that golden rule Ephes 2.21 Euery building that is coupled together in this corner-stone groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord No aduersary either Man or Deuill can confound vs eitheir in our euidences or their owne challenges we may be faultie but we are true And if the darkenesse you finde in vs be light how great is our light SEP But for that not the separation but the cause makes the Schismatike and lest you should seeme to speake euill of the thing you know not and to condemne a cause vnhearâ— you lay downe in the next place the supposed cause of our separation against which you deale as insufficiently And that you pretend to be none other than your consorting with the Papists in certaine Ceremonies touching which and our separation in regard of them thus you write M.H. If you haue taken but the least knowledge of the ground of our iudgement and practice how dare you thus abuse both vs and the Reader as if the onely or chiefe ground of our separation were your Popish Ceremonies But if you goe
Fathers not to Masters yet so are we the seruants of Christ that we are ready to giue our seruice to the least of his Saints Thus vile will we be for God How much more to those whom God hath made as Hierome sayes Principes Ecclesiae whiles they command for God What doe we herein but that which Epiphanius vrged of old against Aërius What but the same which Ignatius that holy and old Martyr requires not once of all Presbyters and offers the ingagement of his owne soule for vs in this act Ignat. Epist ad Tarsens As for our Ceremonies aggrauate them how you can for your aduantage they are but Ceremonies to vs and such as wherein we put no holinesse but order decencie conuenience but they are preferred you say in our Church before the preaching of the Gospell a most wrongfull vntruth We hold preaching an essentiall part of Gods seruice Ceremonies none at all the Gospell preached we hold the life and soule of the Church Ceremonies either the garment or the lace of the garment The Gospel preached we hold the Foundation and Wals Ceremonies hardly so much as Reed or Tile But how then say you haue they ouerturned our best builders This is a word of rare fauour I had thought you had held vs all ruiners not builders Or if builders of Babel not of Ierusalem in which worke the best builders are the worst Those whose hand hath been in this act would tell you that not so much the Ceremonies are stood vpon as obedience If God please to try Adam but with an Apple it is enough What doe we quarrell at the value of the fruit when we haue a prohibition Shimei is slaine what meerely for going out of the City the act was little the bond was great what is commanded matters not so much as by whom insult not wee may thanke your outrage for this losse For your retortion of my Zoar and Sodom I can giue you leaue to be witty you vse it so seldome but when you haue plaied with the allusion what you list I must tell you that he which will needs vrge a comparison to goe on foure feet is not worthy to goe vpon two Zoar was neere to Sodom not part of it Zoar was reserued when Sodome was destroyed Fidem Domino habere debuerat qui se eam seruaturum propter eum dixerat Mercer in Gen. Zoars neerenesse to the place where Sodome stood needed not haue giuen Lot cause of remoueall Zoar might safely haue beene the harbour of Lot his feare was for want of faith God promised him and the place security the far-fetcht application therefore of the wickednesse of Zoar to our Ceremonies might well haue beene forborne and kept to your selfe much lesse needed you like some Anti Lot to call for fire and brimstone from heauen vpon your Zoar. SEP How we would haue behaued our selues in the Temple where the Money-changers were and they that sold Doues we shall answere you when you proue your Church to be the Temple of God compiled and built of spiritually-hewne and liuely stones 1 King 5.17 18. and 6 7. 1 Pet. 2.5 and of the Cedars Firres and Thyne trees of Lebanon 2 Chron. 2.8 framed and set together in that comely order which a greater than Salomon hath prescribed vnto which God hath promised his presence But whilest we take it to bee as it is a confused heaped of dead and defiled and polluted stones and of all rubbish of briers and brambles of the wildernesse for the most part fitter for burning than building we take our selues rather bound to shew our obedience in departing from it than our valour in purging it and to follow the Prophets counsell in flying out of Babylon as the Hee goates before the flocke Ier. 50.8 SECTION XLIX HOw you would haue behaued your selfe in the Temple to the Money-changers you will answer when wee proue our Church to be Gods Temple The state of the Temple and of our Church in resemblance built of that matter and in that forme which God hath prescribed here you send vs to 1 King 5.17 and 2 Chron. 2.8 Ignorantly as if Salomons Temple had stood till Christs time when neither the first nor second though called Beth Guâ—â—am outlasted more than foure hundred yeeres Or as if the Market had beene vnder the very roofe of that Temple Whether Herods were built of the same matter with Salomons and in full correspondence to it I dispute not it was certainely dedicated to Gods seruice and that which you would hardly disgest in a solemne anniuersary Holy day though not erected vpon the word of any Prophet But to let passe Allegories we must proue our selues the true Church of God Thus we doe it We are true Christians for we were baptized into the Name of Christ we truly professe our continuance in the same faith into which we were baptized we ioyne together in the publike Seruices of God wee maintaine euery point of the most ancient Creeds we ouerthrow not the foundation by any consequence Therefore what euer is wanting to vs whateuer is superfluous in spight of all the gates of Hell we are the true Church of God Let me aske you Were not the people of the Iewes in the Prophets in Christs time a confused heape of dead and defiled and for I will vse your Tautologies polluted stones and of all rubbish of beyers and brambles of the Wildernesse for the most part fitter for burning than building Can we be worse than they If wickednesse can defile a Church they shall iustifie vs did either those Prophets or our Sauiour rather shew their obedience to God in departing from it than their valour in purging it you haue well imitated these heauenly patternes But what Can your charity finde nothing but rubbish Not one square stone not one liuing You will be iudging till God iudge you if you take not heed of these courses you will so runne with the He-goats that you will stand with the Goats on the left hand That God whose place you haue vsurped giue you more wisdome and loue SEP And what I pray you is the valour which the best hearted and most Zealous Reformers amongst you haue manifested in driuing out the money-changers doth it not appeare in this that they suffer themselues to be driuen out with the two stringed whip of Ceremonies and subscription by the money-changers the Chancellors and Officials which sell sinnes like Doues and by the chiefe Priests the Bishops which set them on worke so farre are the most Zealous amongst you from driuing out the money-changers as they themselues are driuen out by them because they will not change with them to the vtmost farthing SECTION L. THe valour of our most zealous Reformers hath truly shewed it selfe in wel-dance As in Duels so here Whether Ministers should indure themselues â—â—enced he is the most valiant that can so master himselfe as not to fight you according to the
dare say wee want him Wherein I suppose in our censures Wee haue Peters keyes as his true successors both in office and doctrine our fault is that we vse them not as you would What Church doth so your first Martyr doth as zealously inueigh against the practise of Geneua Bar. Gyff ref So some of their owne haue termed their Excommunication Confess by M. Iohns Inquirie pag. 65. and all other Reformed Congregations in this point as against vs both for the woodden Dagger as he termes it of suspension and for their Consistoriall Excommunication Woe were to all the World if Christ should limit his presence onely to your fashions Here you found him and here you left him Would to God we did no more grieue him with our sins than you please him in your presumptuous censures in the rest you raile against our Prelates and vs Can any man thinke that Christ hath left peaceable spirits to goe dwell with Railers Indeed yours is free-hold so you would haue it free from subiection free from obedience This is loosenesse more than liberty You haue broken the bonds and cast the cords from you but you mis-call ouâ— tenure Wee hate villenage no lesse than you hate peace and hold in capite of him that is the head of his body Coloss 1.18 the Churchâ— vnder whose easie yoke wee doe willingly stoope in a sweet Christian freedome abhorring and reprouing and therefore notwithstanding our personall Communion auoiding all abominations In these two respects therefore of our confusion and bondage wee haue well seene in this Discourse how iustly your Sion accounts vs Babylon since it is apparent for the one that here is neither confusion nor Babylonish nor without separation For the other no bondage no seruility Our Prelates being our Fathers Amari Parens Episcopus debet non timeri Hier. ad Theophilum not our Masters and if Lords for their externall dignity yet not Lords of our Faith and if both these your respects were so yet so long as we doe inuiolably hold the foundation both directly and by necessary sequell any Railer may terme vs but no Separatist shall proue vs Babylon you may flie whither you lift would God yet further vnlesse you had more loue SEP Master H. hauing formerly expostulated with vs our supposed impietie in forsaking a ceremonious Babylon in England proceeds in the next place to lay downe our madnesse in chusing a substantiall Babylon in Amsterdam and if it be so found by due triall as he suggesteth it is hard to say whether our impietie or madnesse bee the greater Belike Master H. thinkes wee gather Churches here by towne-rowes as they doe in England and that all within the Parish Procession are of the same Church Wherfore else tels he vs of Iewes Arrians and Anabaptists with whom we haue nothing common but the Streets and Market place It is the condition of the Church to liue in the World and to haue ciuill society with the men of his World 1 Cor. 5.10 Ioh. 17.13 But what is this to the spirituall Communion of the Saints in the fellowship of the Gospell wherein they are separated and sanctified from the World vnto the Lord Ioh. 17.16 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 6.17 18. SECTION LII I Need no better Analyser than your selfe saue that you doe not onely resolue my parts The veiw of the sinnes and disorders of others whereupon obiected and how far it should affect vs. but adde more whereas euery motion hath a double terme from whence and whither both these could not but all into our discourse Hauing therefore formerly expostulated with you for your since you will so terme it impietie in forsaking a ceremonious Babylon of your owne making in England I thought it not vnfit to compare your choice with your refusall England with Amsterdam which it pleaseth you to intitle a substantiall Babylon impiety and madnesse are titles of your owne choice let your guiltinesse be your owne accuser The truth is my charity and your vncharitablenesse haue caused vs to mistake each other My charity thus Hearing both at Middleburgh and here that certaine companies from the parts of Nottingham and Lincolne which Harbinger had beene newly in Zeland before me meant to retire themselues to Amsterdam for their full liberty not for the full approbation of your Church not fauouring your maine opinions but emulating your freedome in too much hate of our Ceremonies and too much accordance to some grounds of your hatred I hoped you had beene one of their Guides both because Lincolneshire was your Countrey and Master Smith your Oracle and Generall Not daring therefore to charge you with perfect Brownisme what could I thinke might bee a greater motiue to this your supposed change than the view of our so oft proclaimed wickednesse and the hope of lesse cause of offence in those forraine parts this I vrged fearing to goe deeper than I might be sure to warrant Now comes my charitable Answerer and imputes this easinesse of my challenge to my ignorance and therefore will needes perswade his Christian Reader that I knew nothing of the first separation because I obiected so little to the second It were strange if I should thinke you gather Churches there by Towne-rowes as wee in England who know that some one Prison might hold all your refined Flocke you gathered here by Hedge-rowes but there it is easier to tell how you diuide than how you gather let your Church be an intire body inioying her owne spirituall Communion yet if it be not a corrosiue to your heart to conuerse in the same streets and to bee ranged in the same Towne-rowes with Iewes Arrians Anabaptists c. you are to whit of kinne to him that vexed his righteous soule with the vncleannesses of foule Sodme That good man had nothing but ciuill societie with those impure Neighbours hee differed from them in Religion in practise yet could he not so carelesly turne off this torment His house was Gods Church wherein they had the spirituall Communion of the Saints yet whiles the Citie was so vncleane his heart was vnquiet Separation from the world how required Iohn 17.16 We may you grant haue ciuill societie with ill men spirituall Communion onely with Saints Those must be accounted the world these onely the Church your owne allegations shall condemne you They are not of the World saith Christ as I am not of the World Both Christ and they were parts of the Iewish Church The Iewish Church was not so sanctified but the most were extremely vncleane therefore wee may bee parts of a Visible vnsanctified Church and yet bee separate from the World 1 Cor. 1.2 Saint Paul writes to his Corinthians sanctified in Christ Saints by calling True 1 Cor. 3.3 but not long after he can say Ye are yet carnall In his second Epistle Come out saith he from among them But from whom From Infidels by profession not corrupted Christians SEP Wee indeed
haue much wickednesse in the City where wee liue you in the Church But in earnest doe you imagine wee account the Kingdome of England Babylon or the Citie of Amsterdam Sion It is the Church of England or State Ecclesiasticall which wee account Babylon and from which we withdraw in spirituall Communion but for the Common-Wealth and Kingdome as we honour it aboue all the States in the World so would we thankfully imbrace the meanest corner in it at the extremest conditions of any people in the Kingdome The hellish impieties in the Citie of Amsterdam doe no more preiudice our Heauenly Communion in the Church of Christ than the Frogs Lice Moraine and other plagues ouer-spreading Aegypt did the Israelites when Goshen the portion of their inheritance was free Exod. 8.19 nor than the Deluge wherewith the whole World was couered did NOAH when he and his Familie were safe in the ARke Genes 7. nor than Satans throne did the Church of Pergamus being established in the same Citie with it Reuel 2.12 13. SECTION LIII THe Church and State if they bee two yet they are twins and that so The neerenesse of the State Church the great errours found by the Separatists in the French and Dutch Churches as eithers euill proues mutuall the sinnes of the Citie not reformed blemish the Church where the Church hath power and in a sort comprehends the State shee cannot wash her hands of tolerated disorders in the Common-Wealth hence is my comparison of the Church if you could haue seene it not the Kingdome of England with that of Amsterdam I doubt not but you could bee content to sing the old song of vs Bona terra mala gens Our Land you could like well if you might bee Lords alone Thanks be to God it likes not you and iustly thinks the meanest corner too good for so mutinous a generation when it is weary of Peace it will recall you you that neither in Prison nor on the Seas nor in the Coasts of Virginia nor in your way nor in Netherland could liue in Peace What shall wee hope of your ease at home Where yee are all you thankfull Tenants cannot in a powerfull Christian state moue God to distinguish betwixt the knowne sinnes of the Citie and the Church How oft hath our Gracious Soueraigne and how importunately beene sollicited for a Toleration of Religions It is pittie that the Papists hyred not your Advocation who in this point are those true Cassanders Cassand de Offic. boni viri which Reuerend Caluin long since confuted Their wishes herein are yours To our shame and their excuse his Christian heart held that Toleration vnchristian and intollerable which you either neglect or magnifie Good Constantine winkt at it in his beginning Bellar. de Laicis Euseb in vita Const but as Dauid at the house of Zeruiahâ— Succeeding times found these Canaanites to bee prickes and thornes and therefore both by Mulcts and banishments sought either their yeeldance or voydance If your Magistrates hauing once giuen their names to the Church indeuour not to purge this Augean Stable how can you preferre their Communion to ours But howsoeuer now lest wee should thinke your Land-lords haue too iust cause to packe you away for Wranglers you turne ouer all the blame from the Church to the Citie yet your Pastor and Church haue so found the Citie in the Church and branded it with so blacke markes as that all your smooth extenuations cannot make it a lesse Babylon than the Church of England Behold now by your owne Confessions either Amsterdam shall be or England shall not be Babylon These eleuen crimes you haue found and proclaimed in those Dutch and French Churches Fr. Iohns Artic. against the French and Dutch Churches FIRST That the Assemblies are so contriued that the whole Church comes not together in one So that the Ministers cannot together with the Flocke sanctifie the Lords day the presence of the members of the Church cannot be knowne and finally no publike action whether Excommunication or any other can rightly be performed Could you say worse of vs Where neither Sabbath can bee rightly sanctified nor presence or absence knowne nor any holy action rightly performed what can there be but meere confusion SECONDLY That they baptize the seede of them who are no members of any Visible Church of whom moreouer they haue not care as of members neither admit their Parents to the Lords Supper Meere Babylonisme and sinne in constitution yea the same that makes vs no Church for what separation can there bee in such admittance what other but a sinfull commixture How is the Church of Amsterdam now gathered from the World THIRDLY That in the publike worship of God they haue deuised and vsed another forme of Prayer besides that which Christ our Lord hath prescribed Matth. 6. reading out of a Booke certaine Prayers inuented and imposed by man Behold here our fellow-Idolaters and as followes a daily Sacrifice of a set Seruice-Booke which in stead of the sweet Incense of spirituall Praiers is offered to God very Swines-flesh Barr. against Gâ—ff a new Portuise and an equall participation with vs of the Curse of addition to the Word FOVRTHLY That rule and commandement of Christ Matth. 18.15 they neither obserue nor suffer rightly to bee obserued among them How oft haue you said that there can bee no sound Church without this course because no separation Behold the maine blemish of England in the face of Amsterdam FIFTHLY That they worship God in the Idoll Temples of Antichrist so the Wine is marr'd with the Vessell their seruice abomination with ours neither doe these Antichristian stones want all glorious ornaments of the Romish Harlot yet more SIXTLY That their Ministers haue their set maintenance in another manner than Christ hath ordained 1 Chron. 14. and that also such as by which any Ministerie at all whether Popish or other might be maintained Either Tythes or as ill Behold one of the maine Arguments whereby our Ministerie is condemned as false and Antichristian falling heauy vpon our Neighbours SEVENTHLY That their Elders change yeerely and doe not continue in their Office according to the Doctrine of the Apostles and practise of the Primitiue Church What can our Church haue worse than false Gouernors Both annuall and perpetuall they cannot be What is if not this a wrong in Constitution EIGHTLY That they celebrate marriage in the Church as if it were a part of the Ecclesiasticall Administration a foule shame and sinne and what better than our third Sacrament NINTHLY That they vse a new censure of suspension which Christ hath not appointed no lesse than English presumption TENTHLY That they obserue daies and times consecrating certaine daies in the yeere to the Natiuitie Resurrection Ascension of Christ Behold their Calendar as truely possessed Two Commandements solemnly broken at once and we not Idolaters alone ELEVENTHLY which is last and worst that they receiue vnrepentant Excommunicates
to bee members of their Church which by this meanes becomes one bodie with such as bee deliuered vnto Satan therefore none of Christs bodie England can bee but a miscelline rabble of prophane men H. Ainsworth in his Counterpoyson The Dutch and French Churches are belike no better who can be worse than an vnrepentant Excommunicate Goe now and say It is the Apostasie of Antichrist to haue communion with the World in the holy things of God which are the peculiars of the Church and cannot without Sacriledge bee so prostituted and prophaned Goe say that the Plaguy-spirituall-leprosie of sinne rising vp in the foreheads of many in that Church vnshut vp vncouered yea wilfully let loose infects all both persons and things amongst them Goe now and flie out of this Babylon also as the He-Goates before the flocke or returne to ours But how-euer these errors be grosse perhaps they are tractable Not the sinne vndoes the Church but obstinacie here is no euasion For behold you doe no more accuse those Churches of corruption than of wilfulnesse for diuers times haue you dealt with them about these fearefull enormities yea you haue often desired that knowledge thereof might bee by themselues giuen to the whole bodie of their Church or that at least they would take order it might be done by you They haue refused both What remaines but they bee our fellow-Heathens and Publicans And not they alone but all Reformed Churches beside in Christendome which doe ioyntly partake in all these except one or two personall abominations will you neuer leaue till you haue wrangled your selues out of the world But now I feare I haue drawne you to say that the Hellish impieties both in the Citie and Church of Amsterdam arâ— but Frogs Lice Flies Murraine and other Aegyptian plagues not preiudicing your Goshen Say so if you dare I feare they would soone make the Ocean your Red Sea and Virginia your Wildernesse The Church is Noahs Arke which gaue safety to her Guests whereof ye are part but remember that it had vncleane beasts also and some sauage If the waues drowne you not yet me thinkes you should complaine of noisome societie Satans throne could not preiudice the Church of Pergamus but did not the Balaamites the Nicolaitans Yet their heauenly Communion stood and the Angell is sent away with but threats SEP It is the will of God and of Christ that his Church should abide in the world and conuerse with it in the affaires thereof which are common to both But it is the Apostasie of Antichrist to haue Câ—â—â—â—nion wiâ—h the World in the holy things of God which are the peculiars of the Church and 〈◊〉 without great sacriledge be so prostituteâ— and prophaned SECTION LIV. AS it were madnesse to deny that the Church should conuerse with the World in the affaires thereof So to deny her Communion in Gods Holy things Conuersation with the World with any of those of the World which professe Christianity as yet vnconsuted is a point of Anâ—baptisticall Apostasie such â—f the World are still of the Church As my censure cannot eiect them so their sinne after my priuate endeuour of redresse cannot defile me I speake of priuate Communicants If an vnbidden Guest come with a râ—gged garment and vnwashen hands shall I forbeare Gods heauenly dainties The Master of the Feast can say Friend how camest thou in hither not Friends why came you hither with such a Guest God bids mee come Hee hath imposed this necessity neuer allowed this excuse Duobus nodis non te maculat malus videlicet si non consentis si redâ—â—guis d. 23. q. 4. à maliâ— My teeth shall not beset on edge with the fowre Grapes of others If the Church cast not out the knowne vnworthy the sinne is hers If a man will come vnworthy the sinne is his But if I come not because he comes the sinne is mine I shall not answer for that others sinne I shall answer for mine owne neglect Another mans fault cannot dispense with my duty SEP The aire of the Gospell which you draw in is nothing so free and cleare as you make shew it is onely because you are vsed to it that makes you so iudge The thicke smoke of your Canons especially of such as are planted against the Kingdome of Christ the visible Church and the administration of it doe both obscure and poison the aire which you all draw in and wherein you breathe The plâ—gâ—y spirituall 〈◊〉 of seâ— rising vp in the forthâ—â—ds of so many thousands in the Church vnshut vp vncouered infects all both persons and things amongst you Leuit 13.45 46 47. 2 Cor. 6.17 The blasting Hierarchie suffers no good thing to grow or prosper but withers all both bud and branch The daily sacrifice of the Seruice-booke which in stead of spirituall Prayer sweâ—â— as Incense you offer vp Morning and Euening smels so stronâ— of the Popes Portuise as it makes many hundreds amongst your selues stop their noses as it and yet you boast of the free and cleere aire of the Gospell wherein you breathe SECTION LV. The impure mixtures of the Church of England AS there is no Element which is not through many mixtures departed from the first simplicity So no Church euer breathed in so pure an aire as that it might not iustly complaine of some thicke and vnwholsome euaporations of errour and sinne If you challenge an immunitie you are herein the true broode of the ancient Puritanes But if too many sinnes in practise haue thickned the aire of our Church yet not one Heresie that smoke of the bottomlesse pit hath neuer corrupted it and therefore iustly may I auerre that here you might draw in the cleare aire of the Gospell No where vpon earth more freely And if this be but the opinion of custome you whom absence hath helped with a more nice and dainty sent speake your worst Shew vs our Heresies and shame vs you haue done it and behold foure maine infections of our English aire 1. Canons The first the smoke of our Canons Wittily I feare the great Ordinances of the Church haue troubled you more with the blow than the smoke For you tell vs of their Plantation against the Kingdome of Christ What Kingdome The visible Church Which is that Not the Reformedst peece of ours whose best are but Goats and Swine Not the close Nicodemians of your owne Sect amongst vs which would be loth to be visible Not forrainers to them they extend not None therefore in all the World but the English Parlour-full at Amsterdam Can there be any truer Donatisme Cry you still out of their poysoning the aire We hold it the best cleansed by the batteries of your idle fancies by ridding you from our aire and by making this your Church inuisible to vs smart you thus till we complaine 2. Sinne vncensured The second is the plague or leprosie of sin vnshut vp and vncouered We know that
c. Bell. de effectu Sacram. l. 2. cap. 25. pag. 300. Omnium Dogmatum firmitas c. So Pigh l. 1. de Hier. et Stapl. l. 9. Princ. doct c. 1. Compertum est ab his damnata vt haeretica in Lutheri libri◠quae in Bernardi Augustinique libris vt Orthodoxa imo vt pia leguntur Erasm Epist ad Card. Mogunt pag. 401. AVSTIN betwixt vs and the Donatists where the Church in What shall we do then shall we seeke her in her owne words or in the words of her Head the Lord Iesus Christ I suppose we ought to seeke her rather in his words which is the Truth and knowes best his own body for the Lord knowes who are his wee will not haue the Church sought in our words And in the same Booke Whether the Donatists hold the Church saith the same Father let them not shew but by the Canonicall Bookes of Diuine Scriptures for neither do we therefore say they should beleeue vs that we are in the Church of Christ because OPTATVS or AMBROSE hath commended this Church vnto vs which we now hold or because it is acknowledged by the Councels of our fellow Teachers or because so great miracles are done in it it is not therefore manifested to bee true and Catholike but the Lord Iesus himselfe iudged that his Disciples should rather be confirmed by the testimonies of the Law and the Prophets These are the rules of our cause these are the foundations these are the confirmations And vpon the Psalmes Lest thou shouldest erre saith the same AVGVSTINE in thy iudgement of the Church lest any man should say to thee This is Christ which is not Christ or this is the Church which is not the Church for many c. Heare the voyce of the Shepheard himselfe which is clothed in flesh c. He shewes himselfe to thee handle him and see Hee shewes his Church lest any man should deceiue thee vnder the name of the Church c. yet CHRYSOSTOME more directly thus Hee that would know which is the true Church of Christ whence may he know it in the similitude of so great confusion but onely by the Scriptures Now the working of miracles is altogether ceased yea they are rather found to bee fainedly wrought of them which are but false Christians Whence then shal he know it but only by the Scriptures The Lord Iesus therefore knowing what great confusion of things would bee in the last dayes therefore commands that those which are Christians and would receiue confirmation of their true faith should flye to nothing but to the Scriptures Otherwise if they flye to any other helpe they shall be offended and perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church This is the old faith Now heare the new contradicting it vs. The Scripture saith ECKIVS a Popish Doctor is not authenticall without the authoritie of the Church for the Canonicall Writers are members of the Church Whereupon let it be obiected to an Heretike that wil striue against the decrees of the Church by what weapons hee will fight against the Church hee will say By the Canonicall Scriptures of the foure Gospels and Pauls Epistles Let it be straight obiected to him how hee knowes these to be Canonicall but by the Church And a while after The Scripture saith hee defined in a Councell it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to vs that you abstaine from things offered to Idols and bloud and strangled the Church by her authority altred a thing so cleerely defined expressed for it vseth both strāgled and bloud Behold the power of the Church is aboue the Scripture thus ECKIVS And besides CVSANVS BELLARMINE saith thus If wee take away the authoritie of the present Church and of the present Councell of Trent all the Decrees of all other Councels and the whole Christian faith may be called into doubt And in the same place a little after The strength of all ancient Councels and the certaintie of all opinions depends on the authority of the present Church You haue heard both speake say now with whom is true antiquitie and on Gods name detest the newer of both It were as easie to bring the same if not greater euidence for the perfection and all-sufficiencie of Scripture and so to deliuer all the bodie of our religion by the tongues and pens of the Fathers that either you must bee forced to hold them Nouelists with vs or your selues such against them How honest and ingenuous is that confession of your ERASMVS who in his Epistle to the Bishop and Cardinall of Mentz could say It is plainly found that many things in LVTHERS Bookes are condemned for Hereticall which in the bookes of BERNARD and AVSTEN are read for Holy and Orthodoxe This is too much for a taste If your appetite stand to it I dare promise you full dishes Let me therefore appeale to you if light and darkenesse be more contrary than these points of your Religion to true Antiquitie No no Let your Authors glose as they list Popery is but a yong faction corruptly raysed out of ancient grounds And if it haue as wee grant some ancient errours falshood cannot bee bettered with Age there is no prescription against God and Truth What we can proue to be erroneous we need not proue new some hundreths of yeeres is an idle Plea against the Ancient of dayes What can you plead yet more for your change Their numbers perhaps and our handfuls You heard all the World was theirs scarce any corner ours How could you but suspect a few These are but idle brags we dare and can share equally with them in Christendome And if we could not this rule will teach you to aduance Turcisme aboue Christianity and Paganisme aboue that the World aboue the Church Hell aboue Heauen If any proofe can be drawne from numbers He that knowes all sayes the best are fewest The Peace of Rome left out because it was but a Translation in this Editiō c. What then could stirre you Our diuisions and their vnity If this my following labour doe not make it good to all the World that their peace is lesse than ours their dissension more by the confession of their owne months bee you theirs still and let mee follow you I stand not vpon the scoldings of Priests and Iesuites nor the late Venetian iarres nor the pragmaticall differences now on foote in the view of all Christendome betwixt their owne cardinalls in their Sacred conclaue and all their Clergie concerning the Popes temporall power Neyther doe I call any friend to bee our Aduocate none but Bellarmine and Nauarrus shall be my Orators and if these plead not this cause enough let it fall See heere dangerous rifts and flawes not in the outward barke onely but in the very heart and pith of your Religion and if so many be confessed by one or two what might bee gathered out of all and if so many bee acknowledged thinke how many
termes whereof if any be probable some are impossible Oh miserable grounds of Popish faith whereof the best can haue but this praise that perhaps it may be true A Religion that hath bin oft dyed in the bloud of Princes that in some cases teaches and allowes Rebellion against Gods Anointed and both suborneth Treasons and excuses pities honors rewards the Actors A Religion that ouerloades mens consciences with heauy burdens of infinite vnnecessary Traditions far more than euer Moses commented vpon by all the Iewish Masters imposing them with no lesse authoritie and exacting them with more rigor than any of the royall lawes of their Maker A Religion that coozens the vulgar with nothing but shadowes of Holinesse in Pilgrimages Processions Offerings Holy-water Latine Seruices Images Tapers rich Vestures garish Altars Crosses Censings and a thousand such like fit for Children and Fooles robbing them in the meane time of the sound and plaine helps of true pietie and saluation A Religion that cares not by what wilfull falshoods it maintaines a part as Wickliffes blasphemie Luthers aduice from the Deuill Tindals communitie Caluins fained Miracle and blasphemous death Bucers necke broken Bezaes revolt the blasting of Huguenots Englands want of Churches and Christendome Queene ELIzABETHS vnwomanlinesse her Episcopall Iurisdiction her secret fruitfulnesse English Catholikes cast in Beares skins to Doggs Plesses shamefull ouerthrow Garnets Straw the Lutherans obscene night-revels Scories drunken ordination in a Tauerne the Edict of our Gracious King IAMES Anno 87. for the establishment of Poperie our casting the Crusts of our Sacrament to Doggs and ten thousand of this nature maliciously raised and defended against knowledge and conscience for the disgrace of those whom they would haue hated ere knowne A Religion that in the conscience of her owne vntruth goes about to falsifie and depraue all Authors that might giue euidence against her to out-face all ancient truths to foist in Gibeonitish witnesses of their owne forging and leaues nothing vnattempted against Heauen or Earth that might aduantage her faction disable her innocent Aduersarie Loe this is your choice If the zeale of your losse haue made me sharpe yet not malicious not fasle God is my Record I haue not to knowledge charged you with the least vntruth and if I haue wronged accuse mee and if I cleere not my selfe and my challenge let me be branded for a Slanderer In the meane time what spirituall phrensie hath ouertaken you that you can finde no beautie but in this Monster of Errors It is to you and your fellowes that God speakes by his Prophet O yee Heauens be astonied at this be afraid and vtterly confounded saith the Lord for my people hath committed two euils they haue forsaken me the Fountaine of liuing Waters to digge them pits euen broken pits that can hold no water what shall bee the issue Et tu Domine deduces eos in puteum interitus Thou O God shalt bring them downe into the pit of destruction If you will thus wilfully leaue God there I must leaue you But if you had not rather dye returne and saue one returne to God returne to his Truth returne to his Church your bloud be vpon my head if you perish AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER THe Reader may please to take notice that in the former Edition there was added vnto this Discourse a iust Volume of aboue three hundred Contradictions and dissentions of the Romish Doctors vnder the name of The Peace of Rome which because it was but a collection out of Bellarmine and Navar and no otherwise mine but as a Gatherer and Translator I haue here thought good to omit FINIS NO PEACE WITH ROME WHEREIN IS PROVED THAT AS TERMES NOW Stand there can be no Reconciliation of the REFORMED RELIGION with the ROMISH And that the Romanists are in all the fault Written first in Latine by J. H. And now Englished SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE TRVE SOVND AND HOLY CHVRCH OF GOD wheresoeuer warfaring vpon Earth I Present vnto thee deare and holy Mother this poore vnworthy token of my loue and loialtie the not so pleasing as true report of thy future broiles How much gladder should I haue beene if thy Spouse had so thought good to haue beene the messenger of thy Peace and securitie But since the great and wise Moderator of all things hath thought a Palme fitter for thee than an Oliue it is for thee to thinke of victory not of rest Thou shalt once triumph in heauen and rest for all but in the meane time here is nothing to bee lookt for but ambushes skirmishes tumults And how cheerefully must thou needs both beare and ouercome all oppositions that art not more sure of the necessitie of thy warfare than of the happinesse of thy successe whilest thou seest thy glorious husband not onely the leader of this field but a most iust and mercifull crowner of thy Conquest Certainly it is as vnpossible for thee to miscarry as to sit still and not fight Behold all the forces of heauen and earth conspire and reioyce to come voluntaries vnto this holy warre of thine and promise thee a most happy issue addresse thy selfe therefore as thou art wont couragiously to this worke of God But remember first to inquire as thou dost of ABEL Spare no teares to thy desperate Sister now thine enemie and calling heauen and earth to witnesse vpon thy knees beseech and intreat her by her owne soule and by the deare bowels of CHRIST by those precious drops of his bloudy sweat by that common price of our eternall redemption that she would at the last returne to her selfe and that good disposition which she hath now too long abandoned that she would forbeare any more as I feare shee hath hitherto wilfully done to fight against God but if shee shall still persist to stop her eares against thee and to harden her selfe in rebellion against her God forget if thou canst who shee once was and flie mercilesly vpon this daughter of Beliall that vaunts her selfe proudly in the glory of her munition Goe smite destroy conquer and reigne as the worthy partner of thine husbands Throne For mee I shall in the meane time be as one of thy rude Trumpets whose noise shall both awaken thy courage vnto this spirituall battell and whose ioyfull gratulations shall after thy rich spoiles applaud thine happy returne in the day of thy victory J. H. THE SVMME OF THE following Sections SECTION I. THe state of the now-Roman Church SECTION II. The commodities and conditions of Peace SECTION III. The obstinate and Peace-hating disposition of Papists SECTION IV. That the Confession of the same Creed is not with them sufficient to Peace SECTION V. The imputation or corruption of the Roman Church and their impossibility of Reconciliation arising from that wilfull fable of the Popes infallibilitie SECTION VI. That the other Opinions
any other rule of faith And what shall we say Did God enuie vnto mankinde the full reuelation of his will in the perpetuall monuments of his written word Or did he not thinke it expedient to lay vp al necessary doctrines in this common store-house of Truths as Rochester calls it Or is that perhaps more vncertaine Aug. Ego solis Scripturis c. De nat gr c. 61. Opt. Mileu l 5. The. in Mag. l. 3. d. 3. 4. 1. art 1 Citatex Hier. Non mihicredaâ— si quid tibi dixerâ— quod ex nouâ— Testamento vel veteri haberi â—â—â—â—possit Iren. 1. 2. c. 1. which is faithfully committed to writing than that which is carried about by the flying rumors of men and by this ayrie conueiance deriued vnto posteritie What a thing is it as Irenaeus wisely sayd that we should leaue the voice of the Lord and his Apostles and attend to these tatlers that talke neuer a true word Or if this be fitting how vainely haue you spent your labors O all ye Registers of God Prophets Apostles Euangelists and as hee said of the ointment To what purpose was all this waste These Paradoxes are pernicious to the Church and shamefully derogatory from the glory both of the wisdome and goodnesse of God Hold these who dare Surely we can neuer abide that those two markes of Heretikes which Irenaeus long since set downe namely not to rest in the bare authoritie of Scripture and to vaunt of other Traditions should both of them be iustly branded on our sides SECTION XVI Of the Authority of Scripture BVt this is yet most shamefully iniurious to denie vnto the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credit of it selfe and so to hang the Scriptures vpon the Church that they must needs begge all their authority from the voyces of men Honest Eckius in his reuised and corrected Euchiridiâ—â— The Scripture saith he is not authenticall without the authoritie of the Church To which as some golden and oracular sentence Euchir Eccij 7. recogâ—aâ—â— 1586. fol. 8. there is added in the margin a glorious and insulting applause An Achilles for the Catholiks I let passe the blasphemies of Hermannus and Hosius perhaps as Iunius construes it in the name of Swinkfeldius I passe ouer the horrible impiety of that shamelesse glosse Achilles pro Catholicis Animaduers in Bellar. Glosse in decretal l. 2. Tit. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bell. de 〈◊〉 sacr effect l. 2 c. 25 p. 300. which teaches that Salomons Text borrowes his credit from the Popes canonization Bellarmine alone shall speake for all who going about to support the number of seuen Sacraments by the authority of the Tridentine Councell for this is euer their last hold The strength saith he of all the Ancient Councels and of all opinions depends vpon the authority of the present Church And a little before If we take away the authoritie of the present Church and of the present Councell of Trent the decrees of all other Councels and the whole Christian faith may bee called into doubt and question O miserable and miserably staggering soules of the Papists How many not persons only but whole kingdomes and those as the Romanists themselues confesse and bewaile mighty and flourishing amongst themselues do yet still resolutely reiect all the authority of that Tridentine Councell The whole Christian faith All doctrines and opinions What euen those which are written by the finger of God those that are indited by the holy Ghost What is this else but to make God a slaue to men and to arraigne the Maker of heauen and earth at the barre of humane iudgement God wil be God the Scripture of God will be it selfe in spight of Rome Trent Hell And vnlesse we hold this wee can haue no peace with God vnlesse we denie it no peace with the Romanists SECTION XVII Concerning Transubstantiation Genebr l. 1. de Trin. Li. dâ—n 2. dial Canisius in praef lib. de Io. Bapt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bell. l. 2. de Chro. c. 19. Caluinus fine dubio in mode loquendi errauit sed dum rem ipsam discutio non facilè audeo pronunciare illum in errore fuisse THese errors concerne the Scriptures those which follow concerne either Christs person or his offices I let passe that idle brabble as Bellarmine himselfe iudges it which the Popish Censors haue vniustly raysed about the Sons Godhead of himselfe and insist vpon waightier quarrels I would that exploded opinion of Transubstantiation and which is the root of it the Multi-presence of Christs body did not vtterly ouerthrow the truth of his Humanity Good God! Is it possible as Auerrves iested of old that Christians should make themselues a God of bread That any reasonable man can beleeue that Christ carried his owne body in one of his hands that hee raught it forth to bee eaten by those holy ghests of his which saw him present with them and heard him speaking to them both whiles they were eating him and when they had eaten the sacred morsell That the selfe same Sonne of man should at once both deuoure his whole selfe and yet should sit whole and entire at the Table with them That the glorious body of Christ should be carried through the vncleane passages of our mawes and either be there turned into the substance of our body or contrary to that the Spirit said of old Psal 16.10 Thou shalt not suffer thine holy One to see corrupâ—â—â—â— should bee subiect to putrifaction or vanish to nothing or returne into that heauen wherein it was ere it returned while it returned or lastly should be eaten with Mice deuout and holy Vermine or perhaps mixed with poyson to the Receiuer What Monsters of follies are these How mad yea how impious is this obstinacie of follish men that they wil ouer-turne the very principles of nature the order of things the Humanity of their Sauiour the truth of the Sacrament the constant iudgement of Scripture and lastly the very foundations of all Diuinity and confusedly iumbell Heauen Earth together rather than they will where necessity requires it admit but of a tropical kinde of speech in our Sauiours consecration whiles in the meane time the whole Reuerend Senate of the Fathers cryes out Tert. contra Marc. l. 4. Bâ—â—tus Rhenanus confesses this errour of Tertullian was confuted in Berengarius Aug. Psal 3. Epist 162. De doct Christ 3. 16. Chrys Hom. 46. in Ioh. c. Bel. l. 1. de Euch. cap. 1. De doct Chri. l. 3. redoubles the names of Symboles Types Signes Representation Similitude Figures and what-euer word may import a borrowed sense notwithstanding all the indignation of Heauen all the scorne of Pagans al the Reluctation of the Church This Letter killeth as Origen truely speakes Now what likelyhood is there here of agreement That the true body of Christ is truely offered and truely receiued in the Sacrament which of vs hath not euer
indiuisible To be all here to bee all elsewhere to be here greater there lesse To be one and many the same and diuers to depart and not to depart to be contained in Heauen and not to be contained to be a quantity without space to be measured by and fitted to a place and not to take vp any place To be accidents and yet not to be inherent To be formerly yet to be made To be made and not to be made To be otherwise in places than in a place To be a true body and yet to be spiritually That Boy were well worthy of whipping that cannot discerne and confesse manifest contradictions But what doe I spend time in this thornie Discourse This one word shall shut and summe vp all That this wicked paire of opinions offers plaine violence to the true humanity of Christ neither can euer Saluâ fide be reconciled with the Euangelicall Truth SECTION XIX Concerning the Sacrifice of the Masse THe Priestly Office of Christ is not a little impeached by the dayly Oblation of the Missall Sacrifice and the number of Mediators For the first That in this Sacred Supper there is a Sacrifice in the sense wherein the Fathers spoke none of vs euer doubted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that is then either Latreuticall as Bellarmine distinguishes it not ill or Eucharisticall That is here as Chrysostome speakes a remembrance of a Sacrifice that is as Augustine interprets it a memoriall of Christs Passion celebrated in the Church and from this sweet commemoration of our Redemption there arises another Sacrifice the Sacrifice of praise and from thence a true Peace-offering of the Christian soule These three Sacrifices offer themselues to vs here but for any propitiatory Sacrifice vnlesse it be as the Glosse interprets it representatiuely I finde none Trid. CoÌ„ Sess 22. none Essentiall none as the Tridentines labour to perswade true and proper neither indeed can there be For what Doth the Priest offer the same that Christ hath offered or another If another then not propitiatory for onely Christs is our Propitiation If the same then not an vnbloudy Sacrifice for Christs Sacrifice was a bloudy one Then the naturall Being of Christ should againe be destroyed Then the bloud of the Mediator which I abhorre to imagine must be of a finite value and power yea Christ himselfe did not sacrifice on the Table out on the Crosse For if the Sacrifice which he offered in his Supper were perfect and fully propitiatory what needed he to die afterward wherefore was his bloud shed vpon the Crosse which by his Transubstantiated bloud not yet shed had formerly redeemed the World But if it be vnbloudly then it is not propitiatorie for without shedding of bloud saith the Apostle is no remission Or what opposition is there betwixt the order of Melchisedec and Aaron betwixt Christ and the Priests of the old Law Heb. 9.11 if this Office doe equally passe and descend in a long Pedigree of mortall Successors Or why were the legall Sacrifices of the Iewish Synagogue so oft repeated but because they were not perfect and how can or why should that which is most absolutey perfect be reiterated To conclude what can either be spoken or conceiued more plaine Heb. 9.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.12 Quam oblationem tu Deus in omnibus quaesumus benedictam â—scriptam ratam ac rationabilem facere digneris Munera quaesumus Domine oblata sanctifica c. Canon Miss than those words of God Once Offered One Sacrifice One Oblation And yet these Popish Shauelings Deuout men take vpon them to crucifie and sacrifice Christ againe and whiles they solemnly offer the Sonne of God vp vnto his Father they humbly beseech him in a religious blasphemie that he would be pleased to blesse and accept that Oblation It is not for vs I confesse to be so deuout We will remember this holy Sacrifice of Christ as Cassander well aduises and celebrate it with a thankfull heart we will not repeat it we will gladly receiue our Sauiour offered by himselfe to his Father and offered to vs by his Father we will not offer him to his Father which one point whiles we sticke at as we needs must we are straight stricken with the Thunderbolt of the Anathema of Trent Here can be therefore no possibilitie of peace SECTION XX. Of the Number of Mediators and the Inuocation of Saints IT doth not more belong to the Priesthood of Christ that he offered himselfe once for vs a spotlesse Sacrifice vpon the Altar of his Crosse than that he daily offers to his Father the incense of our Praiers on the Altar of Heauen As therefore many Sacrifices so many Mediators plainly seeme to put Christ out of Office Neither indeed hath the number of Intercessors more increased in this old Age of the World than the impietie of imploring them For the modester iudgement of the former Schooles so framed to it selfe a distinction of Mediation that it challenged one kinde thereof as proper onely to Christ thinking the other might be imparted vnto Saints but our late Doctors wilfully breaking the barres both of Logicke and Diuinity haue rashly incroched vpon all the Offices of a Mediator and whatsoeuer might by any right belong to an Agent for peace all that if not more haue they attributed to the Saints Hereupon one saies to the blessed Virgin O Sauioresse saue me Another Obtaine thou pardon apply grace prepare glory for me Others if we may beleeue Cassander famous Diuines haue said That God hath translated one halfe of his Kingdome which consists of Mercy to the blessed Virgin Marie reseruing the other halfe of Iustice to himselfe Others that we may appeale from the Barre of Gods Iustice to Maries Court of Mercy Others haue so compared their Francis with Christ that I tremble to speake it whether of these was the typically Iesus might seeme questionable to the Reader Heare the holy Muse of Tursellius FRANCIS that was shall now be CHRIST to thee Qui Franciscus erat iam tibe Christus erit And soone after And CHRIST that was Saint FRANCIS now shall â—e Iam Franciscus erit qui modo Christus erat O Tongue worthy to be cut out of that blasphemous mouth as Hierome said of his Vigilantius and made into gobbers Neither hath this impious Parasite or his Sedalius done more for their Stigmaticall Francis than the holy Archbishop Antoninus hath done for his Dominick Hen Steph. Apol. Herod Fox in Martyr in an emulation of blasphemy There wants nothing that I can see but that euerlasting Gospell of the Friers and it wanted not much if Histories say true of preuailing Oh what mad Gownes haue swaid the Roman State Martial as their Poet said of old Others haue sacrilegiously turned Letanies Creeds Psalters and what-euer God meant to honour himselfe by vnto the name of the holy Virgine And I would to God this were only the priuate mis-deuotion
soyle of our owne Vniuersities and Innes of Court nothing is more preiudiciall than speed Perfection is the childe of Time neither was there euer any thing excellent that required not meet leisure but besides how commonly it is seene that those which had wont to swimme onely with bladders sinke when they come first to trust to their owne armes These Lap-wings that goe from vnder the wing of their damme with the shell on their heads runne wilde If Tutors bee neuer so carefull of their early charge much must bee left to their owne disposition which if it leade them not to good not onely the hopes of their youth but the proofe of their age lies bleeding It is true that as the French Lawyers say merrily of the Normans which by a speciall priuilege are reputed of full age at 21. yeares whereas the other French stay for their fiue and twentieth that Malitia supplet atatem so may I say of the younglings of our time that Precocitie of vnderstanding supplieth age statute but as it is commonly seene that those blossomes which ouer-runne the spring and will be looking forth vpon a February-Sunne are nipped soone after with an Aprill frost when they should come to the knitting so is it no lesse ordinary that these rathe-ripe wits preuent their owne perfection and after a vaine wonder of their haste end either in shame or obscuritie And as it thus falls out euen in our Vniuersities the most absolute famous Seminaries of the world where the Tutors eye supplies the Parents so must it needs much more in those free and honourable Innes as they are called for their libertie Colleges for their vse of our English Gentry wherein each one is his owne master in respect of his priuate study and gouernment Where there are many pots boyling there cannot but be much scumme the concourse of a populous citie affords many brokers of villany which liue vpon the spoyles of young hopes whose very acquaintance is destruction How can these nouices that are turned loose into the maine ere they know either coast or compasse auoid these rockes and shelues vpon which both their estates and soules are miserably wracked How commonly doe they learne to roare in stead of pleading and in stead of knowing the lawes learne how to contemne them Wee see and rue this mischiefe and yet I know not how carelesse we are in preuenting it How much more desperate must it then needs be to send forth our children into those places which are professedly infectious whose very goodnes is either impietie or superstitiō If we desired to haue sons poysoned with misbeleefe what could we doe otherwise Or what else doe those Parents which haue bequeathed their children to Antichristianisme Our late iourney into France informed me of some ordinary factors of Rome whose trade is the transporting and placing of our popish nouices beyond the seas one whereof whose name I noted hath bin obserued to carry ouer six seuerall charges in one yeare Are we so foolish to go their way whiles we intend a contrary period Doe we send our sonnes to learne to be chaste in the midst of Sodome The world is wide and open but our ordinary trauell is southward into the iawes of danger for so far hath Satans policie preuailed that those parts which are only thought worth our viewing are most contagious and wil not part with either pleasure or information without some tang of wickednes What can we plead for our confidence but that there is an boushold of righteous Lot in the midst of that impure Citie that there are houses in this Iericho which haue scarlet threds shining in their windowes that in the most corrupted aire of Poperie some well reformed Christians draw their breath and sweeten it with their respiration Blessed be God that hath reared vp the towers of his Sion in the midst of Babylon We must acknowledge not without much gratulation to the Gospell of Christ that in the very hottest climates of opposition it findes many clients but more friends and in those places where authority hath pleased to giue more aire to the truth world haue had many more if the Reformed part had happily continued that correspondence in some circumstances with the Roman Church which the Church of England bath hitherto maintained God is my record how free my heart is both from partialitie and preiudice Mine eies and eares can witnesse with what approofe and applause diuers of the Catholiques Royall as they are tearmed entertained the new-translated Liturgy of our Church as maruelling to see such order and regular deuotion in them whom they were taught to condemne for hereticall Whose allowances I well saw might with a little helpe haue been raised higher from the practise of our Church to some points of our iudgement But if true religion were in those parts yet better attended and our young Traueller could find more abetters and examples of pietie on whom we might relie yet how safe can it bee to trust young eies with the view and censure of truth or falshood in religion especially when truth brings nothing to this barre but extreme simplicity and contrarily falshood a gawdy magnificence and proud maiesty of pompous ceremonies wherewith the hearts of children and foolts are easily taken That Curtizan of Rome according to the manner of that profession sets out her selfe to sale in the most tempting fashion here want no colours no perfumes no wanton dresses whereas the poore Spouse of Christ can onely say of her selfe I am blacke but comely When on the one side they shall see such rich shrines garish Altars stately Processions when they shall see a Pope adored of Emperors Cardinals preferd to Kings Confessors made Saints little children made Angels in a word nothing not outwardly glorious on the other side a seruice without welt or gard whose maiestie is all in the heart none in the face how easily may they incline to the conceit of that Parisian dame who seeing the procession of S. Genoueisue goe by the streets could say O que belle c. How fine a religion is ours in comparison of the Hugenoes Whereto must be added that supposing they doe not carry with them but rather go to fetch the language of the place some long time needs be spent ere they can receiue any helpe to their deuotion whiles in the meane season their vnthriuing intermission is assailed with a thousand suggestions And who sees not that this lucrumcessans as the Ciuilians terme it offers an open aduantage to a busie aduersarie SECT VI. IN a word it hath beene the old praise of early rising that it makes a man healthfull holy and rich whereof the first respects the body the second the soule the third the estate all fals out contrary in an early trauell For health The wise prouidence of God hath so contriued his earth and vs that he hath fitted our bodies to our clime and the natiue sustenance of the place vnto
whence he fetches his forceablest r r P. 94. Refut Testimony for forced Continency slit in the Nose and bored in the Eare long-since by Å¿ Å¿ Censur Coci p 133. Salmeron Baronius Bellarmine and Francis Lucas Of the same stampe that the Reader may here see once for all how he is gulled by this false Priest with foysted Authorites is his Augustine De bono Viduatis t t Refut p. 20. 49. 68. thrice by him here quoted not without great triumph branded by Erasmus Hosius Lindanus as likewise u u Refut p. 40. his Augustine de Eccles dogmat confessed counterfeit by Bellarmine his friends of Louain and x x Refut p. 80. the Sermons de Tempore cashier'd by Erasmus Mart. Lypsius the Louanians Whereto let vs adde the book of great Athanasius de Virginitate y y Refut p. 35. produced in great state by C. E. not without great wrong and shame fathered vpon that Saint as if Erasmus and Nannius did not shew the ridiculous precepts therein contained would speake enough To follow all were endlesse Of this kind lastly is his Cyprian de Disciplin bono Pudicitiae not more magnificently z z Refut p. 36. brought forth by C. E. then fairely eiected by Erasmus Espencaeus These are the glorious Testimonies which grace the swelling Pages of mine Aduersarie These are the pious frauds wherewith honest Readers are shamefully coozened It shall suffice thus in a word to haue thanked my Reuerend Monitor for his sage aduice and to aduise my Reader to know whom he trusts Vid. supra Refut p. 74 75. Refut p. 78. Pag. 79. For Origen we haue already answered My Detector could not haue chosen a better man for the proof of the facility of this Worke then him who according to the broad Tralation of his rude Rhemists gelded himselfe and made himselfe no man for it That all graces are deriued to vs from the Fountaine or rather the full Ocean of Christs Merits and Mercies which he shewes from S. Hierome we willingly teach against them so farre are we from being iniurious to the Passion of our Deare Redeemer But if he will therefore inferre that euery man may be a perpetuall Virgin he may as well hope that therefore euery Scribbler may write all true Our Sauiour himselfe which said I will draw all men vnto me yet said All men cannot receiue this not I cannot giue it but they cannot take it As for that practice which he cites from S. Austin of forcing men both into Orders and Continency it shewes rather the Fact then the Equity what was done in a particular Church rather then what should be The Refuter himselfe renounceth it in the precedent Page For the Church forceth none thereunto neither is it any other then a direct restraint of that which the Councell of Nice determined to bee left free Lastly that there may appeare to be no lesse impossibility of honest Truth in some men then true Chastity he cites one place for all out of S. Austin * * Lib. 2. c. 19. de Adulter Coniug vid. sup Let not the burden of Continency affright vs it will be light if it be of Christ it will be of Christ if there be Faith that obtaines of him which commands the thing which hee doth command See Reader with what fidelity and by this esteeme the rest S. Austin speakes there of persons diuorced each from other whom necessity as he supposes the case cals to Continency the Detector cites him for the power of voluntary votaries The very place confutes him It will be Christs yoke saith Austin if there be faith that obtaines of him which commands the thing which he doth command There can be no Faith where is no command Now C. E. will grant there is no o o Neque enim sicut non maâ—haueris non occides ita dici potest non nâ—bes Aug. de Virg. Sanct. l. sing c. 30. Refut p. 80. vsque ad 87. command of single life to all Therefore all cannot aske it in Faith therefore all cannot thinke it the Yoke of Christ all cannot beare it SECT XV. NOw at last like some sorie Squip that after a little hissing and sparkling ends in an vnsauoury cracke my Refuter after all these Flourishes of their possibilitie shuts vp in a scurrilous Declamation against our Ministerie granting it indeed impossible amongst vs to liue chaste and telling his Reader that wee blush not to blaze in Pulpits and printed Bookes this brutish Paradox that Chastitie is a vertue impossible to all because so it is to such lasciuious p p Illud dixerim tantum abfuisse vt ista coacta castitas illam coniugalem vicerit c. saith Polydor Virg. This I may say that it is so farre off that this compelled Chastitie excelled the Coniugall Châ—stitie that no crime of any offence could bring more hatred to the state of Priesthood or more disgrace to Religion or more sorrow to all good men then the blemish of the vnchaste life of Priests c. Polyd. l. 5. c. 4. Libertines sensuall and sinfull people as Heretikes are and here are sordes dedecora scabies libidinum the brutish spirit of Heresie fleshly and sensuall Impure mouth How well doth it become the sonne of that Babylonian Strumpet to call the Spouse of Christ Harlot How well doth it become lips drencht in the Cup of those Fornications to vtter blasphemous Slanders Spumam Cerberi against Innocence By how much more brutish that paradox is so much more deuillish is the vniust imputation of it to vs Which of vs euer blazed it Which of vs doth hate it lesse then the lye that charges it vpon vs How many Reuerend Fathers haue wee in the highest Chaires of our Church how many aged Diuines in our Vniuersities how many graue Prebendaries in our Cathedrall Churches how many worthy Ministers in their rurall stations that shine with this vertue in the eyes of the World If therefore the proper place of Chastitie be the Church of God as this Cauiller pleads it is ours in right q q Hier. l. 2. in Ose Quicunque amare pudicitiam se simulant vt Manichaeus Marcion Arrius Tatianus inflauratores veteris haereseos venenato ore mella promittunt caeterùm iuxta Apostolum quae secretò agunt turpe est dicere Minut. Fal. Octau theirs in pretence And so much more noble is this in ours for that in ours it is r r Inuiolati corporis virginitate fruuntuur potius quà m gloriantur free in them Å¿ Å¿ Talis castitas quia non est spontanea non habet magnam retributionem Bran. Carthus O mysteria O mores vbi necessitas imponitur castitati authoritas datur libidiâ—i Itaque nec casta est qua metu cogitur nec c. Illa pudica qua these tenetur Ambros l. 1. de Virg. forced Infida custos castitatis necessitas as that
Father said Neque opus passeri fugere ad montem In them as Chrysostome said long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The grace of Virginitie is lost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The world make sport with such Maiden-head For the rest The God of Heauen iudge betwixt vs and our enemies To him we appeale how vvee desire to serue him in chaste Wedlocke whom they dishonour with vncleane and false Virginitie Not to put my Detector in mind how honorably he now speakes of mariage how dares he talke of our fleshlinesse and their chastity as if hee had to doe with a world that were both deafe and blind Do not their owne Records fly in their faces and tell him there are but a few of them honest Did not their own t t Concil Delect Cardin. Paul 3. Exhib Alius busiâ—â— turbat populum Christianum in Monialibus c. Vbi in plarisque monasteriis fiunt publica sacrilegia cum maximo omnium scandalo select Cardinals complaine that the most of their Nunneries were iustly scandalized with sacrilegious incontinencies Do not our u u Mat. Paris Hist Angl. Hen 3. p. â—085 Et quâ—d indignum est scribi ad domâ—s religiosarum veniens facit exprimi mammillas earundem vt sic physice c. Histories tell vs that in the raigne of Henry the third Robert Grosthead the famous Bishop of Lincolne in his Visitation was faine to explore the virginity of their Nuns by nipping off their dugs indignum scribi as Matth. Paris Doe not the x x In haâ— etiam vrbe meretrices c. Concil del Card. Prius est quà m mechari continentiam ducere criminosam de singul cler Refut 88. forenamed Cardinals find it a common greeuance that their Curtezans rode in state thorow Rome it selfe attended euen at noone day with the retinue of their Cardinals and with their Clergy-men Doth he finde the Church of England to maintaine Stewes and to raise rents from professed filthinesse Can hee deny the vnnaturall beastlinesse that raignes in his Italy But what doe I stirre this puddle Let mee heare no more brags of their chastitie no more exprobrations of our lasciuiousnesse SECT XVI AS if my Refuter had vowed to write no true word he challenges me for translating Isidores Turpe votum a filthy Vow I turne to my Epistle and finde it not englished by me at all His own conscience belike so construes it or if some former Impression of mine which I beleeue not had so turned it here is neither ignorance nor vnfaithfulnesse Wheresoeuer is sinne there is filthinesse And if a lawfull vow bee properly de meliore bono can there not therefore be an vnlawfull vow What was that of Iepthaes or that of S. Pauls forty Conspirators But the word there saith he signifies a promise As if euery vow were not a promise and if Isidore takes votum for promissum y y Dist 28. Greg. Petro. Diac. l. 1. Ep. 42. Gregorie takes by his construction promissum for votum in this very case we haue in hand This vow of theirs therefore is metonymically filthy because it makes them such In one word that he may raue no more of Epicures Turks Pagans Their vow is in profession glorious filthy in effect And now for a conclusion of this point I must out of all these grosse and ignorant passages of his though vnproperly yet truely vow to the world that a truer Bayard did neuer stumble forth in the Presse SECT XVII HEe hath done with their owne vowes and now descends to vs whom hee confesses vowlesse His scorne cannot strip vs of the benefit of that Truth which hee confesseth Thus then hee writes I freely with other Catholikes grant Refut p. 89. that our English Ministers according to their calling make no vowes I grant their mariage to be lawfull I grant that euery one of them may bee the Husband of one Wife c. And why did not this liberalitie of my wise Detector tye vp his Tongue in his purse all this while No more was required no lesse is yeelded whereto is all this iangling But that his grant may proue worse then a deniall thus hee proceeds But wee deny them to bee truely Clergie-men or to haue any more authoritie in the Church then their wiues or daughters haue and this because they want all true calling and Ordination For they entred not in at the doore like true Pastors but stole in at the window like theeues We deny their ministerie I say to be lawfull because they did runne before they were sent tooke their places by intrusion c. Let Master Hall disproue this and I will say Tu Phyllidasolus habeto Thus he A deep crimination and such as if it could be proued would rob our question of the State and vs of our duely challenged honour Reader this vehemency shewes thee where his shoo wrings him It is the gall of Romish hearts that we prosper and are not theirs Where they haue presumed vpon credulitie they haue not stucke to say we are not men like others but more frequently and boldly that wee are no Christian men and here most peremptorily that we are no Clergie-men There is no Church no Christianitie no Clergie not theirs Neither can we be in Orders whiles we are out of Babylon The man dreames of the Nags-head in Cheape-side where his lying Oracle Tradition hath not shamed to report Iewel Sands Horne Scory Grindall and others in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths time being disappointed of the Catholike Bishop of Landaffe to haue laid hands mutually on each other and that from hence haue flowed our pretended Orders This our shameless * * Alias Halywell the Iesuite Sacrobosco heard of some good old folks they had it of one Neale Professor Ebrius in Oxford Kellison took it of Sacrobosco and C. E. of him Concordat cum Originali Diabolus est mendax pater eius And is not this a worthy engine to batter down the wals of a whole Church to blow vp all our ordination Is it possible that any Christian face should be so gracelesse as to beare out such an apparent and ridiculous falshood against so many thousands of witnesses against the euidence of authenticall Records against reason and sense it selfe For can they hope to perswade any liuing man that these hauing at that time a lawfull Archbishop of their owne religion legally established in the Metropoliticall chaire by an acknowledged authority the sway of the times openly fauoring them when all Churches all Chappels gladly opened to them that they would bee so mad as to goe and ordaine themselues in a Tauerne He that would beleeue this may be perswaded that their adored blocks can weepe and speake and moue that their Cake is God Neuer truth could be cleared if not this No lesse then the whole Kingdome knew that Q. Mary dyed in the yeare 1558 Nouember 17 and her Cardinal then Archb. of Canterbury accompanied her
we should thinke that the Lord which is the Author and sanctifier of Mariage should hold it in the same rank with surfetting drunkennesse Another was of the same Author i i Tit. 2. Si quis legitimam commixtionem filiorum recreationem corruptionem coinquinationem vocat ille habet cohabito torem daemonem Apostatam Ignat. Epist ad Philadelph teaching vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly Lusts vs of the Clergy belike the rest need not And who knowes not the witty and learned insinuations of their good Siritius Those that are in the flesh cannot please God These and such like are the forceable insinuations of this imposed continency which euen very boyes and Ideots can hisse out of the Schooles SECT XXII FRom Panormitan hee descends to my alledged Gratian who because he speakes these words by way of explication in a continued tenor with a sentence of Austin is to my mortall sinne cited by me as speaking from Austin The position and the inference of the words is such as might deceiue any eye that would trust a Gratian What might the price be trow we of such a crime in the Apostolique chamber In my next Shrift Refut p. 105. he shall heare meâ culpâ The words are Gratians that Copula Sacerdotalis vel consanguineorum The mariage or as this Clerkly Grammarian translates it the carnall copulation of Priests or kinsfolke is not forbidden by any Legall Euangelicall or Apostolicall authoritie but by Ecclesiasticall Law it is forbidden Wee could not hyre a Proctor to say more But herein C. E. hath detected two foule faults of the citation The one that I trusted his Gratian so far as to make him speake out of Austin which I trust a little Holy-water may wash off The other Refut p. 106. That I concealed the mariage of kinsfolke within the prohibited degrees which saith he although only forbidden by Ecclesiasticall Law yet dares not M. Hall I thinke transgresse it so as this Law hath greater forâ—e then he supposeth it to haue So he Plainly my Refuter knowes not what he faith else he would neuer thus palpably plead against himselfe For whateuer thing was there in all the constitutions of his Church more subiect to variation then the legall supputation of the forbidden degrees which was a long time confined to the third degree inclusiuely another while extended to the fourth and sometime to the seuenth Let him herein reconcile his Pope Nicholas and Gregory with Pope Innocent Whereof the one left all free that were without the pale of the fourth degree the other restrayned all to the seuenth And when he finds an vnalterablenesse in the determination of these degrees let him plead for an equally-fatall necessity of his Ecclesiasticall continence in the meane time let him take it patiently to be beaten with his owne Rod. No diuine Law then he grants hath inioyned this Celebate but an Ecclesiasticall What is this other then I said God neuer imposed this Law of continence Who then k k Espenc ex Test Abb. l 1. c. 3. Facerat igitur Ecclesia boni medici iusta medicinam quae obsit magis quam profit tallentis The Church should therefore doe like a good Physitian in remouing the medicine which he seeâ— to doe more harme then good Refut p. 107. The Church And why may not I goe on to aske Whether a good wife would gain-say what her husband willeth Flourishing will not answer this All the prayses of beauty and fidelity which are giuen to the true Church argue Rome to be the false Whereas therefore the Priest shuts vp thus brauely And this Minister who would make the one to gain-say the other should bring some place or sentence to shew the same which he may chance to doe the next morning after the Greeke Calends or else neuer aâ—ouch so vnchristian a Paradoxe He shall vnderstand that his Greeke Calends are past The Spirit of God saith A Bishop may be the Husband of one Wife The Church of Rome sayes A Bishop may not be the Husband of any wife at all Whether is this a contradiction The Spirit of God sayes Mariage is honourable amongst all men The Church of Rome sayes Mariage is dishonourable to some The Spirit of God sayes To auoid Fornication let euery man haue his wife The Church of Rome like a quick huswife saies Some order of men shall not haue a wife though to auoyd Fornication Let my Masse-Priest shew these to be no contradictions which hee may chance to doe at the Greeke Calends or else grant this to be neither Paradox nor vnchristian SECT XXIII FRom Cardinall Panormitan I ascended to Pope Pius the Second Refut p. 108. whom I vshered in with this Preface Let a Pope himself speake out of Peters Chayre Pius the second as learned as hath sit in that roome this thousand yeeres Two things my Cauiller snarles at in the Preface two in the authority it selfe My first manifest vntruth is that Pius the Second spake this as out of the Chayre A witlesse misprision I hope he sate in Peters Chayre that spake it if he spake it not as from the Chayr I care for no more Is not this sufficient to win respect from a Catholike Priest Otherwise whether it were Stoole or Chaire or if a chayre whether the consistoriall or the Porphyry chaire wherin he sits before his first Triumph l l Lib. sacr cerem tanquam instercoraria it is all one to me Themselues must first agree what it is to speake as from the Chaire ere I can affirme that Pius the Second so spake this Id Populus curet I referred the chaire to the man not to the speech In the meane time C. E. is not so good a groome to the Chayre as Gregory of Valence who attributes infallibility to a Popes sentence though it be m m Vid Rom. Irrecon sine curâ studie My second wrong is the superlatiue lashing so he cals it of other Popes learning in comparison of this I cry him mercy I did not know what sinne it was to commend a Popes learning That is not it I confesse that caries away the Crownes and the Keyes But the comparison offended Perhaps C.E. hath knowne that Chaire more learnedly furnished It may be he thinkes of Boniface the Ninth called before Peter de Thomacellis a Neapolitan n n Theod. Niem lib. 1. c. 6. who could neither write nor sing hardly vnderstanding the propositions of the Aduocates in the Consistorie insomuch as in his time Inscitia ferè venalis facta fuit in ipsa curiâ Ignorance was growne valuable Or it may be he thinks of those ancient ferule-fingred Boy-Popes one of the Benedicts a graue Father of ten yeeres old or Iohn the Thirteenth an aged Stripling of nineteene Or perhaps hee alludes to those learned times within my compasse which were acknowledged in the Councell of Rhemes where when offer was made of requiring the Popes
euer they finde with this Italianate generation In Tomis Conciliorum prorsus expunxerunt omiserunt hunc Canonem y y Chemnit hist de Coelib Sacerd. p. 65. In the Tomes of the Councels they haue altogether wip't out and omitted this Canon So as if wee had those blurred Copies which he saw bleeding from the hand of the Inquisitors there could be no fence for this charge but that which serues for all impudent denyals Neither needed my Refuter to take it so highly Refut p. 196. that I obiected to them the tearing blemishing and defacing of this and other Records against them Ere long the World shall see to the foule shame of these selfe-condemned Impostors Erasm Lang. in Niceph. Io Neuizan D. Venatorius P. Crinitus I de solas Polyd. Virg. â—olewinch Thuavus Ignat. Sigebert c. that in the Writings both of ancient and later Authors they haue blotted out more then an hundred places some of them containing aboue two sheetes apiece concerning this very point which we haue in hand This is no newes therefore neither needed my Detector to make it so dainty SECT XIV Refut p. 198. vsque ad 203. I Cited from Gratian the free confession of Pope Steuen the Second acknowledging the open liberty of Mariage to the Clergie of the Easterne Church Matrimonio copulantur They are ioyned in Mariage A place truely irrefragable My Refuter first excepts against the number telling vs that Steuen the Second liued but three or foure dayes at the most and therefore he could not be the man what spirit of Cauillation possesses this Masse-Priest Hee cannot but know that his own Sigebertus ascribes fiue yeares to this Steuen Hermannus Se also Funccius in his Chronol six But fiue is the least And his Binius tels him that the Steuen he speakes of fitting but two dayes exclusiuely z z Bin. Steph. 2. A pluribus è Serie Rom. Pontificum dimittitur is by the most omitted in the Catalogue of the Romane Bishops whence it is that the Chronicle names not two Steuens betwixt the first the fourth But this man he saith called no Councell what is that to me Gratian affirmes it I do not Let him fal out for this with his friends And now according to the old wont after he hath tryed to shift off Matrimonio copulantur with the sleeuelesse euasion of a false glosse i. vtuntur which Cajetan hath sufficiently confuted for vs hee fals to a flat reiection of Gratian Caiet Opus Castit and tels vs out of Bellarmine That Canon to bee perhaps of no authoritie but an errour of the Collectors Good God! what face haue these men That none of their receiued Authors can be produced against them Refut p. 203. but they are straight counterfeit and yet the very same where they speake for them canonicall Their Clyents if they might but know these tricks would be ashamed of their Patrons Refut p. 204. That the Clergie not onely of the East might Matrimonio copulari but of the West also might Matrimonium contrahere which are the words they are vnwilling to know in their owne Canon Law shew sufficiently that they not onely were maried of old but might marry But for the Easterne Clergie it is freely granted by all ingenuous spirits insomuch as Espencaeus tels vs that neuer Author either old or new imputed this for a fault vnto the Greeke Church that their Clergie was maried Refut p. 206 207. What shall we say then to this bold Bayard that compares this toleration of Mariage in the Greeke Church with Mosesses permission of the Bill of Diuorce vnto the Iewes As if Mariage had been onely tolerated not allowed as if vniust Diuorce were a fit match for lawfull Wedlocke whiles he here talkes of Duritia cordis well may we talke of his Duritia frontis It is true euery Church euery Country hath their Customes and Fashions which Ioannes Maior pleads against Beda's Censure of the English and Scottish and Brittish obseruation of Easter and may bee as iustly in this case pleaded for vs This was of old no lesse ours then the Greekes And if any Church will be prescribing against God we haue no such Custom nor the Church of God But what a ridiculous insinuation is iâ— that the Greeke Priests are dispensed with by supreme authoritie Ecclesiasticall Refut p. 207 208. Forsooth by the Pope of Rome Faine would I learne when vpon what termes at what rate the Graecians purchased in the Court of Rome Dispensation for their Mariages I would my Refuter had the Office appointed him to shuffle ouer all the Records of the Apostolike Chamber till he find such a grant made propter duritiem cordis then should a great deale of good Paper escape the misery of being besmeared by his Pen. What strange fantastike Dreames are put vpon the World Where the Papacy cannot preuaile there forsooth his Holinesse dispenseth The Greeke Church admitteth maried Priests the Pope dispenseth with them They deny and defie the Popes Supremacie I trow he dispenseth with them for that too and why not with the Church of England We pay no Peter-pence wee runne not to Rome-market to buy trash I hope his Holinesse dispenseth with vs for these Peccadillo's wee take libertie here to marry rather then to burne why should wee not hope to receiue that Dispensation whereof we heard the newes of late from a poore Bankrupt Carier Ad populum phaleras SECT XV. AS for the contradiction which his sagacitie findes not without much scorne in the two Parliamentall Lawes of the Father and the Sonne Refut p. 209. usque ad 214. King Henry the Eight and King Edward the Sixt whereof the one forbids the other allowes the Mariage of Ecclesiastiques it needed not haue beene any wonder to a learned Priest which might haue knowne Councels enow diametrally opposite to each other what fault was it in the recouer'd blind man that he first saw men vvalk like Trees and after like men Euen the best man may correct himselfe Neither was there here any contradiction King Henry spake with the Romane Church whose one halfe of him then was King Edward spake vvith the Scriptures and purer antiquitie King Henry neuer said God disallowed these Mariages King Edward neuer said they were allowed by the Romish Church And vvhy may not vvee draw out the like absurditie out of Queene Maries Parliaments vvherein shee reuersed many things established by King Edward as in this very case concerning Mariage of Priests May nor vvee herevpon aske What vvill you say to such Parliaments vvherein the Brother is thwarted by the Sister and that vvith the consent of the most of the same Parliament-men enacting in a few yeares contrarily Or as if it were any newes with Popes rescindere acta praedecessorum euen of those vvhich immediately preceded them Who knowes not the Story of Pope Formosus and Stephanus and the
or which had continued in the succession of this custome of mariage still maintaining the lawfulnesse and vse of it inuiolable So then in summe This he hath gained which I am ready euer to auow The ancientest Councels are against him The later are against vs and God with vs against them of which we haue learned e e Gnapheut Orat. in defens Io Pistorii Woe to you rebellious Children that you should hold your Councel and not of me Priuata decreta to say Va vobis filii desertores vt faceretis Concilium non ex me And if his Mistris of Rome haue elsewhere found vassals it followes not that we may not be free Yea it is more then manifest by those euidences we haue already produced from their own records that notwithstanding this cogged number of his prouinciall Synods and Priuate decrees as Volusian termes them all the time of the first seuen hundred yeares the freedome of this practice continued in many parts of the Christian world Insomuch as amongst the rest the Church of Armenia for the time of the yeares mentioned vpheld a Tradition f f Concil Constant 6 Can. 33. Quoniam Cognouimus in Armenionum regiore eos solum in Cleri Ordinem referri qui sunt ex genere Sacerdotaâ—i not to admit of any Clergy-man but those which descended ex genere Sacerdotali descended from Priests Witnesse the Fathers of Constantinople in their three and thirtieth Canon Where my Detector should doe well to inquire what Balsamons Clerici Chryso-bullati meanes Sure I am that this example sufficiently proues the practicall libertie of those Churches in the questioned limits of the seuen first Centuries To which wee may adde the Church of Bulgaria out of his g g Dist 28. Gratian The Church of Germany out of h h Annal. â—oyorum supra Auentine The Church of Ireland out of i i Vita S. Malach. Lib. Synod Wigoâ—n Eccles Canon Conâ—il Hybern sub Patricio Auxilio Isernino Quicunque Clericus ab ostiario vsque ad Sacerdotem sine tunica visâ—â— fuerit c. vxor eius sine velato capite â—â—bulauerit pariter à laicis contemnantur c. Matth. Park Def. of Pr. Mar. Refut p. 235. Bernard who confesses the Episcopall See of Armach to haue been furnished with a lineall descent of Bishops for eight generations before the time of his Malachias which vvere still both vxorati and literati How those men were Bishops and yet sine ordinibus is a Riddle which I confesse I cannot a read Perhaps they were without Romane Orders but if they were not Clerkes after the then Irish fashion what needed they be Literati that they might be Bishops The Church of our Britaine as we shall see in the Processe and others These are more then enough to let the World see this restraint for all this pretence of Prouinciall and partiall Councels neuer vniuersally obtained SECT XVII YEt the man hauing vnmercifully crusht mee in pieces with this empty bladder of windie and worthlesse authoritie crowes ouer me thus in conclusion And truely to me he seemeth not to be more mad then blind for otherwise hee would neuer haue proclaimed this freedome of seuen hundred yeares seeing the very forme of words vsed by his câ—ne sacred Councell doth so strongly withstand his fond collection For there it is decreed Qui sunt in sacris c. We will that the mariages of such as be in holy Orders from this time forward be firme and valid For in case this freedome had beene common before why did they say Deinceps from this time forward Thus he Wherein I would his superiours did but see how kindly he buffets himselfe For if this be the force of Deinceps or A modo I thus argue against him He hath pleaded before From this time forward that neither this nor any other Church euer allowed nor euer practised the celebration of mariage after Ordination Now if he turne to the sixth Canon of this councell of Constantinople hee shall finde Decernimus vt nulli deinceps hypodiacono c. We decree that from hence forward no Sub-Deacon Deacon or Priest may marry after his Ordination Therefore by the force of his inference before this time for almost seuen hundred yeares this was commonly practised And now to answer my Refuters Deinceps If his wit had been any way matchable with his malice he might haue seene that this Deinceps had relation to the Roman Church not to the Greeke For if he know not this Synod meant to prescribe Lawes to his Mistresse and to correct that their iniurious Tradition of restraint and to inlarge this libertie through all the Territories of the Vniuersal Church For this purpose is the Deinceps of the Constantinopolitane Fathers who well knew how much it needed in the Westerne Church which had inthralled their Clergie in the bondage of that vnlawfull prohibition So as the Refuter whiles hee playes vpon vpon my want of Logicke in not descrying the dangerous necessitie of this inference vpon me plainely bewrayes his owne want of braines in not descrying the folly of his obiection Refut p. 236. and where he tels me like a dull Iester That all the Wals and Windowes from the Hall to the Kitchin may mourne to see an Vniuersitie-man haue so little wit I must tell him that all the Doores of Doway may leape off their hindges to see their Champion so childishly absurd Refut p. 237. Now then to answer his idle Epilogue if it appeare that his owne Pope and Canonist and the receiued Histories of the Church and the examples of seuerall Nations and persons acknowledge this ancient liberty both in the Easterne and some Westerne Churches de facto And Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles the ancient Councels with this fixt of Constantinople approue it de iure it followes that the necessarie imposition of professed continency is but a part of that sowre milke wherewith the Shee Wolfe of the Seuen-hils feeds the faction of her Romulists and Rhemists and none of that wholesome sustenance which God and his purer Church haue prouided for their Children THE HONOVR OF THE MARIED CLERGIE maintained c. The third Booke SECT I. THE Mariage of Ecclesiastiques which had the common allowance of the first Times had in some parts but the conniuence of the subsequent and the prohibition of the last Those Churches that were not parties to the faction of Rome could not but be much moued with so peremptorie a Decree of a famous Councell reducing them in this point to the exactnesse of Apostolique institution and professing to rectifie that Romane deuiation No maruell therefore if not long after there ensued a collision of opposite parts and much scuffling betwixt the abettors of Antichristian seruitude Refut p. 241. and Euangelicall libertie whom this Hedge-creeper dare terme incontinent Grecians Schismatikes Heretikes his Pen is no slander The multitude of his Synods wherein
long had beene to punish Noah that was righteous After forty daies therefore the Heauens cleare vp after an hundred and fifty the waters sinke downe How soone is God weary of punishing which is neuer weary of blessing yet may not the Arke rest suddenly If we did not stay some-while vnder Gods hand we should not know how sweet his mercy is and how great our thankfulnesse should be The Arke though it was Noahs Fort against the waters yet it was his prison he was safe in it but pent vp he that gaue him life by it now thinkes time to giue him liberty out of it God doth not reueale all things to his best seruants behold He that told Noah an hundred and twenty yeares before what day he should goe into the Arke yet foretels him not now in the Arke what day the Arke should rest vpon the Hills and he should goe forth Noah therefore sends out his Intelligencers the Rauen and the Doue whose wings in that vaporous ayre might easily descry further then his sight The Rauen of quicke sent of grosse feed of tough constitution no Fowle was so fit for discouery the likeliest things alwaies succeed not He neither will venture far into that solitary world for feare of want nor yet come into the Arke for loue of liberty but houers about in vncertainties How many carnall mindes flye out of the Arke of Gods Church and imbrace the present world rather choosing to feed vpon the vnsauory carkasses of sinfull pleasures then to bee restrained within the straight lists of Christian obedience The Doue is sent forth a Fowle both swift and simple Shee like a true Citizen of the Arke returnes and brings faithfull notice of the continuance of the Waters by her restlesse and empty returne by her Oliue leafe of the abatement how worthy are those Messengers to be welcome which with innocence in their liues bring glad tydings of peace and saluation in their mouthes Noah reioyces and beleeues yet still he waites seuen daies more It is not good to deuoure the fauours of God too greedily but so take them in that we may digest them O strong faith of Noah that was not weary with this delay some man would haue so longed for the open ayre after so long closenesse that vpon the first notice of safetie hee would haue vncouered and voyded the Arke Noah stayes seuen dayes ere he will open and well-neere two Moneths ere he will forsake the Arke and not then vnlesse God that commanded to enter had bidden him depart There is no action good without Faith no Faith without a word Happy is that man which in all things neglecting the counsels of flesh and blood depends vpon the commission of his Maker Contemplations THE SECOND BOOKE NOAH Babel ABRAHAM ISAAC sacrificed LOT and Sodom BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE LORD STANHOPE ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST HONORABLE PRIVIE COVNCELL All Grace and Happinesse RIght Honourable I Durst appeale to the iudgement of a carnall Reader let him not bee preiudicate that there is no Historie so pleasant as the Sacred Set aside the Maiestie of the Jnditer none can compare with it for the Magnificence and Antiquitie of the matter the sweetnesse of compyling the strange varietie of memorable occurrences And if the delight be such what shall the profit be esteemed of that which was written by GOD for the saluation of Men J confesse no thoughts did euermore sweetly steale Me and Time away then those which I haue imployed in this subiect and I hope none can equally benefit others for if the meere Relation of these holy things bee profitable how much more when it is reduced to vse This second part of the World repayred I dedicate to your Lordship wherein you shall see Noah as weake in his Tent as strong in the Arke an vngratious Sonne reserued from the Deluge to his Fathers curse modest pietie rewarded with blessings the building of Babel begunne in pride ending in confusion Abrahams Faith Feare Obedience Isaac bound vpon the Altar vnder the hand of a Father that hath forgotten both nature and all his hopes Sodom burning with a double fire from Hell and from Heauen Lot rescued from that impure Citie yet after finding Sodom in his Caue Euery one of these passages is not more full of wonder then of edification That Spirit which hath penned all these things for our learning teach vs their right vse and sanctifie these my vnworthy Meditations to the good of his Church To whose abundant grace J humbly commend your Lordship Your Lordships vnfainedly deuoted in all due obseruance IOS HALL Contemplations THE SECOND BOOKE NOAH NO sooner is Noah come out of the Arke but he builds an Altar not an house for himselfe but an Altar to the Lord Our faith will euer teach vs to prefer God to our selues delayed thankfulnesse is not worthy of acceptation Of those few creatures that are left God must haue some they are all his yet his goodnesse wil haue Man know that it was he for whose sake they were preserued It was a priuiledge to those very bruit creatures that they were saued from the waters to be offered vp in fire vnto God what a fauor is it to men to be reserued from common destructions to bee sacrificed to their Maker and Redeemer Loe this little fire of Noah through the vertue of his faith purged the world and ascended vp into those heauens from which the waters fell caused a glorious Rainbow to appeare therein for his securitie All the sins of the former world were not so vnsauory vnto God as this smoake was pleasant No perfume can be so sweet as the holy obedience of the faithfull Now God that was before annoyed with the ill sauor of sinne smells a sweet sauour of rest Behold here a new and second rest First God rested from making the World now he rests from destroying it Euen while we cease not to offend he ceases from a publike reuenge His word was enough yet withall he giues a signe which may speake the truth of his promise to the very eyes of men thus he doth still in his blessed Sacraments which are as reall words to the soule The Raine-bow is the pledge of our safety which euen naturally signifies the end of a showre all the signes of Gods institution are proper and significant But who would looke after all this to haue found righteous Noah the Father of the new World lying drunken in his tent Who could thinke that wine should ouerthrow him that was preserued from the waters That he who could not be tainted with the sinfull examples of the former world should begin the example of a new sinne of his own What are we men if we be but our selues While God vpholds vs no temptation can moue vs when he leaues vs no temptation is too weak to ouerthrow
debarred Now God begins to call for the blood they owed him In one night euery house hath a carkasse in it and which is more grieuous of their first borne and which is yet more fearfull in an instant No man could comfort other euery man was too full of his owne sorrow helping rather to make the noise of the lamentation more doleful and astonishing How soone hath God changed the note of this tyrannicall people Aegypt was neuer so stubborne in denying passage to Israel as now importunate to entreat it Pharaoh did not more force them to stay before then now to depart whom lately they would not permit now they hire to go Their rich Iewels of siluer and gold were not too deare for them whom they hated how much rather had they to send them away wealthy then to haue them stay to be their Executors Their loue to themselues obtained of them the enriching of their enemies and now they are glad to pay them well for their old worke and their present iourney Gods people had stayed like Slaues they goe away like Conquerors with the spoile of those that hated them armed for security and wealthy for maintenance Old Iacobs seuenty soules which he brought downe into Aegypt in spight of their bondage and blood-shed goe forth six hundred thousand men besides children The world is well mended with Israel since he went with his staffe and his scrip ouer Iordan Tyranny is too weake where God bids Increase and multiply I know not where else the good herbe ouer-growes the weeds the Church out-strips the World I feare if they had liued in ease and delicacie they had not beene so strong so numerous Neuer any true Israelite lost by his affliction Not onely for the action but the time Pharaohs choice meets with Gods That very night when the hundred and thirty yeares were expired Israel is gone Pharaoh neither can nor can will to keepe them any longer yet in this not fulfilling Gods will but his owne How sweetly doth God dispose of all second causes that whiles they doe their owne will they doe his The Israelites are equally glad of this haste Who would not be ready to goe yea to flye out of bondage They haue what they wished it was no staying for a second inuitation The losse of an opportunity is many times vnrecouerable the loue of their liberty made the burden of their dough light who knew whether the variable mind of Pharaoh might returne to a deniall and after all his stubbornnesse repent of his obedience It is foolish to hazard where there is certainty of good offers and vncertainty of continuance They goe therefore and the same God that fetcht them out is both their guide and protector How carefully doth he chuse their way not the neerer but the safer He would not haue his people so suddenly change from bondage to war It is the wondrous mercy of God that he hath respect as to his owne glory so to our infirmities He intends them warres hereafter but after some longer breathing and more preparation his goodnesse so orders all that euils are not ready for vs till we be ready for them And as he chuses so he guides their way That they might not erre in that sandy and vntracted wildernesse himselfe goes before them who could but follow cheerfully when he sees God lead him He that led the wise men by a Star leads Israel by a Cloud That was an higher obiect therefore he giues them an higher and more heauenly conduct This was more earthly therefore he contents himselfe with a lower representation of his presence A pillar of cloud and fire A pillar for firmnes of cloud and fire for visibility and vse The greater light extinguishes the lesse therefore in the day he shewes them not fire but a cloud In the night nothing is seene without light therefore he shewes them not the cloud but fire The cloud shelters them from heat by day the fire digests the rawnesse of the night The same God is both a cloud and a fire to his children euer putting himselfe into those formes of gracious respects that may best fit their necessities As good motions are long ere they can enter into hard hearts so they seldome continue long No sooner were the backs of Israel turned to depart then Pharaohs heart and face is turned after them to fetch them backe againe It vexes him to see so great a command so much wealth cast away in one night which now he resolues to redeem though with more plagues The same ambition and couetousnesse that made him weare out so many iudgements will not leaue him till it haue wrought out his full destruction All Gods vengeances haue their end the finall perdition of his enemies which they cannot rest til they haue attained Pharaoh therefore his Aegyptians wil needs go fetch their bane They well knew that Israel was fitter to serue then to fight weary with their seruitude not trained vp to war not furnished with prouision forâ— field Themselues Captaines and Souldiers by profession furnished with horses and Chariots of warre They gaue themselues therefore the victory beforehand and Israel either for spoile or bondage yea the weake Israelites gaue vp themselues for dead and already are talking of their graues They see the Sea before them behind them the Aegyptians they know not whether is more mercilesse and are stricken with the feare of both O God how couldest thou forbeare so distrustfull a people They had seene all thy wonders in Aegypt and in their Goshen they saw euen now thy pillar before them and yet they did more feare Aegypt then beleeue thee Thy patience it no lesse miracle then thy deliuerance But in stead of remouing from them the cloudy pillar remoues behind them and stands betwixt the Israelites and Aegyptians as if God would haue said They shall first ouercome me O Israel ere they touch thee Wonder did now iustly striue with feare in the Israelites when they saw the cloud remoue behind them and the sea remoue before them They were not vsed to such bulwarkes God stood behind them in the cloud the sea reared them vp wals on both sides them That which they feared would be their destruction protected them how easily can God make the cruellest of his creatures both our friends and patrons Yet here was faith mixed with vnbeleefe Hee was a bold Israelite that set the first foot into the channell of the Sea and euery step that they set in that moist way was a new exercise of their faith Pharaoh sees all this and wonders yet hath not the wit or grace to thinke though the pillar tels him so much that God made a difference betwixt him and Israel He is offended with the Sea for giuing way to his enemies and yet sees not why he may not trust it as well as they He might well haue thought that he which gaue light in Goshen when there was darknesse in Aegypt could as well
Rod but he will doe by meanes that which he can as easily doe without There was no vertue in the Rod none in the stroke but all in the command of God Meanes must be vsed and yet their efficacie must be expected out of themselues It doth not suffice God to name the Rod without a description Whereby thou smotest the Riuer Wherefore but to strengthen the faith of Moses that he might well expect this wonder from that which he had tried to be miraculous How could he but firmely beleeue that the same meanes which turned the waters into blood and turned the sea into a wall could as well turne the stone into water Nothing more raises vp the hart in present affiance then the recognition of fauors or wonders passed Behold the same Rod that brought plagues to the Aegyptians brings deliuerances to Israel By the same meanes can God saue and condemne like as the same sword defends and kils That power which turned the wings of the Quailes to the wildernesse turned the course of the water through the Rocke He might if he had pleased haue caused a Sping to well out of the plaine earth but he will now fetch it out of the stone to conuince and shame their infidelity What is more hard and dry then the Rocke What more moist and supple then water That they might be ashamed to thinke they distrusted lest God could bring them water out of the Clouds or Springs the very Rocke shall yeeld it And now vnlesse their hearts had beene more rockie then this stone they could not but haue resolued into teares for this diffidence I wonder to see these Israelites fed with Sacraments Their bread was sacramentall whereof they communicated euery day lest any man should complaine of frequence the Israelites receiued daily and now their drinke was sacramentall that the ancient Church may giue no warrant of a dry Communion Twice therefore hath the Rocke yeelded them water of refreshing to signifie that the true spirituall Rocke yeelds it alwayes The Rocke that followed them was Christ Out of thy side O Sauiour issued that bloody streame whereby the thirst of all beleeuers is comfortably quenched Let vs but thirst not with repining but with faith this Rocke of thine shall abundantly flow forth to our soules and follow vs till this water be changed into that new wine which we shall drinke with thee in thy Fathers Kingdome The Foyle of AMALEK or the hand of MOSES lift vp NO sooner is Israels thirst slaked then God hath an Amalekite ready to assault them The Almighty hath choice of rods to whip vs with and will not be content with one tryall They would needs be quarrelling with Moses without a cause and now God sends the Amalekites to quarrell with them It is iust with God that they which would be contending with their best friends should haue worke enough of contending with enemies In their passage out of Aegypt God would not lead them the neerest way by the Philistims Land lest they should repent at the sight of warre now they both see and feele it He knowes how to make the fittest choyce of the times of euill and withholds that one while which he sends another not without a iust reason why he sends and with-holds it And though to vs they come euer as wee thinke vnseasonably and at some times more vnfitly then others yet he that sends them knowes their opportunities Who would not haue thought a worse time could neuer haue been pickt for Israels warre then now In the feeblenesse of their troopes when they were wearied thirsty vnweaponed Yet now must the Amalekites doe that which before the Philistims might not doe We are not worthy not able to chuse for our selues To be sicke and dye in the strength of youth in the minority of children To be pinched with pouerty or miscariage of children in our age how harshly vnseasonable it seemes But the infinite wisdome that orders our euents knowes how to order our times Vnlesse we will be shamelesse vnbeleeuers O Lord we must trust thee with our selues and our seasons and know that not that which we desire but that which thou hast appointed is the fitted time for our sufferings Amalek was Esaus grand-child and these Israelites the Sons of Iacob The abode of Amalek was not so farre from Aegypt but they might well heare what became of their Cousins of Israel and now doubtlesse out of enuy watcht their opportunity of reuenge for their old grudge Malice is commonly hereditarie and runs in the blood and as we vse to say of Runnet the older it is the stronger Hence is that foolish hostilitie which some men vniustly nourish vpon no other grounds then the quarrels of their Fore-fathers To wreake our malice vpon posteritie is at the best but the humour of an Amalekite How cowardly and how craftie was this Skirmish of Amalek They doe not bid them battell in termes of Warre but without all noise of warning come stealing vpon the hindmost and fall vpon the weake and scattred remnants of Israel There is no looking for fauour at the hands of malice The worst that either force or fraud can doe must be expected of an Aduersarie but much more of our spirituall enemie by how much his hatred is deeper Behold this Amalek lyes in ambush to hinder our passage vnto our Land of Promise and subtilly takes all aduantages of our weaknesses We cannot be wise or safe if we stay behind our colours and strengthen not those parts where is most perill of opposition I doe not heare Moses say to his Ioshua Amalek is come vp against vs it matters not whether thou goe against him or not or if thou goe whether alone or with company or if accompanied whether with many or few strong or weake Or if strong men whether they doe fight or no I will pray on the Hill but Choose vs out men and goe fight Then onely can we pray with hope when we haue done our best And though the meanes cannot effect that which wee desire yet God will haue and vse the likelyest meanes on our part to effect it Where it comes immediately from the charge of God any meanes are effectuall One stick of wood shall fetch water out of the Rocke another shall fetch bitternesse out of the water But in those proiects which we make for our owne purposes we must choose those helpes which promise most efficacie In vaine shall Moses bee vpon the Hill if Ioshua be not in the Valley Prayer without meanes is a mockery of God Here are two shadowes of one substance The same Christ in Ioshua fights against our spirituall Amalek and in Moses spreads out his Armes vpon the hill and in both conquers And why doth he climb vp the hill rather then pray in the valley Perhaps that hee might haue the more freedome to his thoughts which following the sense are so much more heauenly as the eye sees more of heauen Though vertue
not trust to my friendship and hospitality But what doe these weake feares these idle fancies of ciuility If Sisera be in league with vs yet is he not at defiance with God Is he not a Tyrant to Israel Is it for nothing that God hath brought him into my Tent May I not now find meanes to repay vnto Israel all their kindnes to my Grand-father Iethro Doth not God offer mee this day the honour to be the Rescuer of his people Hath God forbidden me strike and shall I hold my hand No Sisera sleepe now thy last and take here this fatall reward of all thy cruelty and oppression He that put this instinct into her heart did put also strength into her hand He that guided Sisera to her Tent guided the naile thorow his temples which hath made a speedy way for his soule thorow those parts and now hath fastned his eare so close to the earth as if the body had been listening what was become of the soule There lyes now the great terror of Israel at the foote of a woman He that brought so many hundred thousands into the Field hath not now one Page left either to auert his death or to accompany it or bewaile it He that had vaunted of his yron chariots is slaine by one naile of yron wanting onely this one point of his infelicity that he knowes not by whose hand he perished GIDEONS Calling THe iudgements of God still the further they goe the forer they are the bondage of Israel vnder Iabin was great but it was freedome in comparison of the yoke of the Midianites During the former tyranny Deborah was permitted to iudge Israel vnder a Palme-tree Vnder this not so much as priuate habitations will be allowed to Israel Then the seat of iudgement was in sight of the Sun now their very dwellings must be secret vnder the earth They that reiected the protection of God are glad to seeke to the mountaines for shelter and as they had sauagely abused themselues so they are faine to creepe into dens and caues of the rocks like wilde creatures for safegard God had sowen spirituall seede amongst them and they suffered their heathenish neighbors to pull it vp by the rootes and now no sooner can they sowe their materiall seede but Midianites and Amalckites are ready by force to destroy it As they inwardly dealt with God so God deales outwardly by them Their eyes may tell them what their souls haue done yet that God whose mercy is aboue the worst of our sinnes sends first his Prophet with a message of reproofe and then this Angell with a message of deliuerance The Israelites had smarted enough with their seruitude yet God sends them a sharpe rebuke It is a good signe wheÌ„ God chides vs his round reprehensions are euer gracious fore-runners of mercy whereas his silent conniuence at the wicked argues deepe and secret displeasure The Prophet made way for the Angell reproofe for deliuerance humiliation for comfort Gideon was threshing Wheat by the Wine-presse Yet Israel hath both Wheat and Wine for all the incursions of their enemies The worst estate out of hell hath either some comfort or at least some mittigation in spight of all the malice of the world God makes secret prouision for his owne How should it be but hee that ownes the earth and all creatures should reserue euer a sufficiency from forrainers such the wicked are for his houshold In the worst of the Medianitish tyranny Gideons field barne are priueledged as his fleece was afterwards from the showre Why did Gideon thrâ—sh his corne To hide it Not from his neighbours but his enemies his Granary might easily be more close then his barne As then Israelites threshed out their come to hide it from the Midianites but now Midianites thresh out come to hide it from the Israelites These rurall Tyrants of our time doe not more lay vp come then curses he that withdraweth come the people will curse him yea God will curse him with them and for them What shifts nature will make to liue Oh that we could be so carefull to lay vp spirituall food for our soules out of the reach of those spirituall Midianites we could not but liue in despight of all aduersaries The Angels that haue euer God in their face and in their thoughts haue him also in the mouthes The Lord is with thee But this which appeared vnto Gideon was the Angell of the Couenant the Lord of Angels Whiles he was with Gideon he might well fall The Lord is with thee He that sent the comforter was also the true Comforter of his Church he well knew how to lay a sure ground of consolation and that the onely remedy of sorrow and beginning of true ioy is The presence of God The griefe of the Apostles for the expected losse of their Master could neuer be cured by any receit but this of the same Angel Behold I am with you to the end of the World What is our glory but the fruition of Gods presence The punishment of the damned is a separation from the beatificall face of God needs must therefore his absence in this life be a great torment to a good heart and no crosse can be equiualent to this beginning of heauen in the Elect The Lord is with thee Who can complaine either of solitarinesse or opposition that hath God with him With him not onely as a witnesse but as a party Euen wicked men and diuels cannot exclude God not the barres of hell can shut him out He is with them perforce but to iudge to punish them yea God will be euer with them to their cost but to protect comfort saue he is with none but his Whiles he calls Gideon valiant he makes him so How could he be but valiant that had God with him The godlesse man may be carelesse but cannot be other then cowardly It pleases God to acknowledge his own graces in men that he may interchange his owne glory with their comfort how much more should we confesse the graces of one another An enuious nature is preiudiciall to God he is a strange man in whom there is not some visible good yea in the Diuels themselues we may easily note some commendable parts of knowledge strength agility Let God haue his owne in the worst creature yea let the worst creature haue that praise which God would put vpon it Gideon cannot passe ouer this salutation as some fashionable complement but layes hold on that part which was most important the tenure of all his comfort and as not regarding the praise of his valour inquires after that which should be the ground of his valour the presence of God God had spoken particularly to him he expostulates for all It had beene possible God should be present with him not with the rest as hee promised to haue been with Moses not Israel and yet when God sayes The Lord is with thee he answeres Alasse Lord if the Lord be with
he hath corrected so can ease them Folly is neuer Ieparated from wickednesse Their heart told them that they had no right to the Arke A Councell is called of their Princes and Priests If they had resolued to send it home they had done wisely Now they doe not carry it away but they carry it about from Ebenezer to Ashdod from Ashdod to Gath from Gath to Ekron Their stomacke was greater then their conscience The Arke was too sore for them yet it was too good for Israel and they will rather dye then make Israel happy Their conceit that the change of ayre could appease the Arke God vseth to his owne aduantage for by this meanes his power is knowne and his iudgement spred ouer all the country of the Philistims What doe these men now but send the plague of God to their fellowes The iustice of God can make the sinnes of men their mutuall executioners It is the fashion of wicked men to draw their neighbours into the partnership of their condemnation Wheresoeuer the Arke goes there is destruction The best of Gods Ordinances if they bee not proper to vs are deadly The Israelites did not more shout for ioy when they saw the Arke come to them then the Ekronites cry out for griefe to see it brought amongst them Spirituall things are either soueraigne or hurtfull according to the disposition of the receiuers The Arke doth either saue or kill as it is entertained At last when the Philistims are well wearie of paine and death they are glad to bee quit of their sinne The voyce of the Princes and people is changed to the better Send away the Arke of the God of Israel and let it returne to his owne place God knowes how to bring the stubbornest enemy vpon his knees and makes him doe that out of feare which his best child would doe out of loue and duty How miserable was the estate of these Philistims Euery man was either dead or sicke those that were left liuing through their extremity of paine enuied the dead and the cry of their whole Cities went vp to heauen It is happy that God hath such store of plagues and thunderbolts for the wicked If he had not a fire of iudgement wherewith the yron hearts of men might bee made flexible hee would want obedience and the world peace The Arkes reuenge and returne IT had wont to bee a sure rule Wheresoeuer God is among men there is the Church Here onely it failed The testimony of Gods presence was many moneths amongst the Philistims for a punishment to his owne people whom hee left for a curse to those forrainers which entertained it Israel was seuen moneths without GOD How doe wee thinke faithfull Samuel tooke this absence How desolate and forlorne did the Tabernacle of GOD looke without the Arke There were still the Altars of GOD his Priests Leuites Tables Veiles Censers with all their legall accoustrements These without the Arke were as the Sunne without light in the midst of an Eclipse If all these had beene taken away and onely the Arke had beene remaining the losse had beene nothing to this that the Arke should be gone and they left For what are all these without God and how all-sufficient is GOD without these There are times wherein GOD withdrawes himselfe from his Church and seemes to leaue her without comfort without protection Sometimes wee shall finde Israel taken from the Arke otherwhiles the Arke is taken from Israel In either there is a separation betwixt the Arke and Israel Heauy times to euery true Israelite yet such as whose example may relieue vs in our desertions Still was this people Israel the seed of him that would not bee left of God without a blessing and therefore without the testimony of his presence was God present with them It were wide with the faithfull if God were not ofttentimes with them when there is no witnesse of his presence One act was a mutuall penance to the Israelites and Philistims I know not to whether more Israel grieued for the losse of that whose presence grieued the Philistims their paine was therefore no other then voluntary It is strange that the Philistims would endure seuen moneths smart with the Arke since they saw that the presence of that Prisoner would not requite no nor mitigate to them one houres misery Foolish men will be struggling with God till they be vtterly either breathlesse or impotent Their hope was that time might abate displeasure euen whiles they persisted to offend The false hopes of worldly men cost them deare they could not be so miserable if their owne hearts did not deceiue them with mis-expectations of impossible fauour In matters that concerne a God who is so fit to be consulted with as the Priests The Princes of the Philistims had before giuen their voyces yet nothing is determined nothing is done without the direction and assent of those whom they accounted sacred Nature it selfe sends vs in diuine things to those persons whose calling is diuine It is either distrust or presumption or contempt that caries vs our owne waies in spirituall matters without aduising with them whose lips God hath appointed to preserue knowledge There cannot but arise many difficulties in vs about the Arke of God whom should wee consult with but those which haue the Tongue of the Learned Doubtlesse this question of the Arke did abide much debating There wanted not faire probabilities on both sides A wise Philistim might well plead If God had either so great care of the Arke or power to retaine it how is it become ours A wiser then he would reply If the God of Israel had wanted either care or power Dagon and we had beene still whole why doe we thus grone and dye all that are but within the Aire of the Arke if a diuine hand doe not attend it Their smart pleads enough for the dismission of the Arke The next demand of their Priests and Soothsayers is how it should be sent home Affliction had made them so wise as to know that euery fashion of parting with the Arke would not satisfie the owner oftentimes the circumstance of an action marres the substance In diuine matters wee must not onely looke that the body of our seruice be sound but that the clothes be fit Nothing hinders but that sometimes good aduice may fall from the mouth of wicked men These superstitious Priests can counsell them not to send away the Arke of God emptie but to giue it a sinne-offering They had not liued so farre from the smoake of the Iewish Altars but that they knew God was accustomed to manifold oblations and chiefly to those of expiation No Israelite could haue said better Superstition is the Ape of true deuotion and if we looke not to the ground of both many times it is hard by the very outward acts to distinguish them Nature it selfe teacheth vs that God loues a full hand He that hath beene so bountifull to vs
God take aduantage of it for his ouerthrow but giues him protection euen where his presence offended and giues him fauour where himselfe bore iust hatred Oh the infinite patience and mercy of our God who doth good to vs for our euill and in the very act of our prouocation vpholdeth yea blesseth vs with preseruation COVLD Saul haue rightly considered it hee had found it no small losse and impayring to his Kingdome that so valiant a Captaine attended with sixe hundred able Souldiers and their Families should forsake his Land and ioyne with his enemies yet hee is not quiet till hee haue abandoned his owne strength The world hath none so great enemy to a wicked man as himselfe his hands cannot bee held from his owne mischiefe hee will needs make his friends enemies his enemies victors himselfe miserable DAVID was too wise to cast himselfe into the hands of a Philistim King without assurance What assurance could hee haue but promises Those Dauid had from Saul abundantly and trusted them not Hee dares trust the fidelity of a Pagan hee dares not trust the vowes of a King of Israel There may be fidelitie without the Church and falshood within It need not bee any newes to finde some Turkes true and some Christians faithlesse EVEN vnwise men are taught by experience how much more they who haue wit to learne without it Dauid had well found what it was to liue in a Court Hee therefore whom Enuie droue from the Court of Israel voluntarily declines the Philistim Court and sues for a Country-habitation It had not beene possible for so noted a stranger after so much Philistim-bloud shed to liue long in such eminency amongst the prease of those whose sonnes or brothers or fathers or allies hee had slaughtered without some perillous machination of his ruine therefore hee makes suit for an early remoue For why should thy seruant dwell in the chiefe Citie of the Kingdome with thee Those that would stand sure must not affect too much height or conspicuitie The tall Cedars are most subiect to windes and lightnings whiles the shrubs of the Valleyes stand vnmooued Much greatnesse doth but make a fairer marke for euill There is true firmnesse and safetie in mediocritie How rarely is it seene that a man loseth by his modestie The change fell out well to Dauid of Ziklag for Gath Now hee hath a Citie of his owne All Israel where he was annointed afforded him not so much possession Now the Citie which was anciently assigned to Iudah returnes to the iust Owner and is by this meanes entayled to the Crowne of Dauids Successours Besides that now might Dauid liue out of the fight and hearing of the Philistim Idolatries and enioy God no lesse in the wals of a Philistim-Citie than in an Israelitish wildernesse withal an happy oportunitie was now opened to his friends of Irael to resort vnto his aide the heads of the thousands that were of Menasseh and many valiant Captaines of the other Tribes fell daily to him and raised his six hundred followers to an army like the host of God The deserts of Israel could neuer haue yeelded Dauid so great an aduantage That God whose the earth is makes roome for his owne euery where and oft-times prouideth them a forraine home more kindly than the natiue It is no matter for change of our soyle so we change not our God If we can euery-where acknowledge him he will no where bee wanting to vs. IT was not for Gods Champion to be idle no sooner is he free from Sauls sword than he beginnes â—n offensiue warre against the Amalekites Girzites Geshurites Hee knew these Nations branded by God to destruction neither could his increasing Army bee maintained with a little By one act therefore hee both reuenges for God and prouides for his Host Had it not beene for that olde quarrell which God had with this people Dauid could not be excused from a bloudy cruelty in killing whole Countries onely for the benefit of the spoyle Now his Souldiers were at once Gods Executioners and their owne Forragers The interuention of a command from the Almighty alters the state of any act and makes that worthy of praise which else were no better than damnable It is now Iustice which were otherwise Murder The will of God is the rule of good what need we enquire into other reasons of any act or determination when we heare it comes from Heauen How many hundred yeares had this brood of Cananites liued securely in their Countrey since God commanded them to bee rooted out and now promised themselues the certainest peace The Philistims were their friends if not their LORDS The Israelites had their hands full neither did they know any grudge betwixt them and their Neighbours when suddenly the Sword of Dauid cuts them off and leaues none aliue to tell the newes THERE is no safetie in protraction with men delay causeth forgetfulnesse or abates the force of anger as all violent motions are weakest at the furthest but with him to whom all times are present what can bee gained by prorogation Alas what can it preuaile any of the cursed seed of Canaan that they haue made a truce with Heauen and a league with Hell Their day is comming and is not the further off because they expect it not MISERABLE were the straits of Dauid while hee was driuen not onely to maintaine his Armie by spoyle but to colour his spoyle by a sinfull dissimulation Hee tels Achish that hee had beene rouing against the South of Iudah and the South of the Ierahmelites and the South of the Kenites either falsly or doubtfully so as hee meant to deceiue him vnder whom he liued and by whom hee was trusted If Achish were a Philistim yet hee was Dauids friend yea his Patron and if hee had bin neither it had not becomne Dauid to bee false The infirmities of Gods children neuer appeare but in their extremities It is hard for the best man to say how far hee will bee tempted If a man will put himselfe among Philistims hee cannot promise to come forth innocent How easily doe wee beleeue that which we wish The more credit Achish giues vnto Dauid the more sinne it was to deceiue him And now the conceit of this ingagement procures him a further seruice The Philistims are assembled to fight with Israel Achish dares trust Dauid on his side yea to keepe his head for euer neither can Dauid doe any lesse than promise his aid against his owne flesh Neuer was Dauid in all his life driuen to so hard an exigent neuer was hee so extremely perplexed For what should hee doe now To fight with Achish hee was tyed by promise by merit Not to fight against Israel hee was tyed by his calling by his vnction Not to fight for Achish were to bee vnthankfull To fight against Israel were to bee vnnaturall Oh what an inward battle must Dauid needs haue in his brest when hee thinkes of this battle of Israel
beene worthy to inioy him for her honest compassion Not more iustly then wisely therefore doth Salomon trace the true mother by the footsteps of loue and pity and adiudgeth the child to those bowels that had yearned at his danger Euen in morality it is thus also Truth as it is one so it loues intirenesse falshood diuision Satan that hath no right to the heart would be content with a peece of it God that made it all will haue either the whole or none The erroneous Church striues with the true for the liuing childe of sauing doctrine each claimes it for her owne Heresie conscious of her owne iniustice could be content to goe away with a leg or an arme of sound principles as hoping to make vp the rest with her owne mixtures Truth cannot abide to part with a ioynt and will rather endure to leese all by violence then a peece through a willing conniuency The Temple IT is a weak and iniurious censure that taxeth Salomons slacknesse in founding the house of God Great bodies must haue but slow motions He was wise that said the matters must be all prepared without ere we build within And if Dauid haue laid ready a great part of the metals and timber yet many a tree must be felled and squared and many a stone hewne and polished ere this foundation could be laid neither could those large Cedars be cut sawne seasoned in one yeare Foure yeares are soone gone in so vast a preparation Dauid had not beene so intire a friend to Hiram if Hiram had not beene a friend to God Salomons wisdome hath taught him to make vse of so good a neighbour of a fathers friend he knowes that the Tyrians skill was not giuen them for nothing Not Iewes onely but Gentiles must haue their hand in building the Temple of God Onely Iewes medled with the Tabernacle but the Temple is not built without the aide of Gentiles They together with vs make vp the Church of God Euen Pagans haue their Arts from heauen how iustly may we improue their graces to the seruice of the God of Heauen if there be a Tyrian that can worke more curiously in gold in siluer in brasse in iron in purple and blew silke then an Israelite why should not hee be imployed about the Temple Their heathenisme is their own their skill is their Makers Many a one workes for the Church of God that yet hath no part in it Salomon raises a tribute for the worke not of money but of men Thirty thousand Israelites are leauied for the seruice yet not continuedly but with intermission their labour is more generous and lesse pressing it is enough if they keep their courses one moneth in Lebanon two at home so as euer ten thousand worke whiles twentie thousand breathe So fauourable is God to his creature that he requires vs not to be ouer-toyled in the workes of his owne seruice Due respirations are requisite in the holiest acts The maine stresse of the worke lyes vpon Proselytes whose both number and paines was herein more then the Natiues An hundred and fifty thousand of them are imployed in bearing burthens in hewing stones besides their three thousand three hundred ouer-seers Now were the despised Gibeonites of good vse and in vaine doth Israel wish that the zeale of Saul had not robbed them of so seruiceable drudges There is no man so meane but may bee some way vsefull to the House of God Those that cannot worke in gold and siluer and silke yet may cut and hew and those that can doe neither yet may cary burdens Euen the seruices that are more homely are not lesse necessarie Who can dis-hearten himselfe in the conscience of his owne insufficiency when he sees God can as well serue himselfe of his labour as of his skill The Temple is framed in Lebanon and set vp in Sion Neither hammer nor axe was heard in that holy structure There was nothing but noise in Lebanon nothing in Sion but silence and peace What euer tumults are abroad it is fit there should bee all quietnesse and sweet concord in the Church Oh God that the axes of schisme or the hammers of furious contentions should bee heard within thy Sanctuary Thine house is not built with blowes with blowes it is beaten downe Oh knit the hearts of thy seruants together in the vnity of the spirit and the bond of peace that we may minde and speak the same things that thou who art the God of peace maist take pleasure to dwell vnder the quiet roofe of our hearts Now is the foundation laid and the wals rising of that glorious fabricke which all Nations admired and all times haue celebrated Euen those stones which were laid in the Base of the building were not ragged and rude but hewne and costly the part that lyes couered with earth from the eyes of all beholders is no lesse precious then those that are most conspicuous God is not all for the eye he pleaseth himselfe with the hidden value of the liuing stones of his spirituall Temple How many noble graces of his seruants haue been buried in obscuritie not discerned so much as by their owne eyes which yet as hee gaue so hee crowneth Hypocrites regard nothing but shew God nothing but truth The matter of so goodly a frame striues with the proportion whether shall more excell Here was nothing but white Marble without nothing but Cedar and Gold within Vpon the Hill of Sion stands that glittering and snowy pile which both inuiteth and dazeleth the eyes of passengers a farre off so much more precious within as Cedar is better then stone gold then Cedar No base thing goes to the making vp of Gods House If Satan may haue a dwelling he cares not though he patch it vp of the rubbish of stone or rotten sticks or drosse of metals God will admit of nothing that is not pure and exquisite His Church consists of none but the faithfull his habitation is in no heart but the gracious The fashion was no other then that of the Tabernacle onely this was more costly more large more fixed God was the same that dwelt in both hee varied not the same mysterie was in both Onely it was fit there should be a proportion betwixt the worke and the builder The Tabernacle was erected in a popular estate the Temple in a Monarchy it was fit this should sauour of the munificence of a King as that of the zeale of a multitude That was erected in the flitting condition of Israel in the desert this in their setled residence in the promised Land it was fit therefore that should bee framed for motion this for rest Both of them were distinguished into three remarkable diuisions whereof each was more noble more reserued then other But what doe we bend our eyes vpon stone and wood and metals God would neuer haue taken pleasure in these dead materials for their owne sakes if they had not had a further intendment Me thinkes
I see foure Temples in this one It is but one in matter as the God that dwels in it is but one three yet more in resemblance according to the diuision of them in whom it pleases God to inhabite For where euer God dwels there is his Temple Oh God thou vouchsafest to dwell in the beleeuing heart as we thy silly creatures haue our being in thee so thou the Creator of heauen earth hast thy dwelling in vs. The heauen of heauens is not able to containe thee and yet thou disdainest not to dwell in the strait lodgings of our renewed soule So then because Gods children are many and those many diuided in respect of themselues though vnited in their head therefore this Temple which is but one in collection as God is one is manifold in the distribution as the Saints are many each man bearing about him a little shrine of this infinite Maiestie And for that the most generall diuision of the Saints is in their place and estate some strugling and toyling in this earthly warfare others triumphing in heauenly glory therefore hath God two other more vniuersall Temples One the Church of his Saints on earth the other the highest heauen of his Saints glorified In all these O God thou dwellest for euer and this materiall house of thine is a cleare representation of these three spirituall Else what were a temple made with hands vnto the God of spirits And though one of these was a true type of all yet how are they all exceeded each by other This of stone though most rich and costly yet what is it to the liuing Temple of the holy Ghost which is our body What is the Temple of this body of ours to the Temple of Christs body which is his Church And what is the Temple of Gods Church on earth to that which triumpheth gloriously in heauen How easily doe wee see all these in this one visible Temple which as it had three distinctions of roomes the Porch the Holy-place the Holy of Holies so is each of them answered spiritually In the Porch wee finde the regenerate soule entring into the blessed society of the Church In the holy place the Communion of the true visible Church on earth selected from the world In the Holy of Holies whereinto the high Priest entred once a yeare the glorious heauen into which our true high-Priest Christ Iesus entred once for all to make an atonement betwixt God and man In all these what a meer correspondence there is both in proportion matter situation In proportion The same rule that skilfull caruers obserue in the cutting out of the perfect statue of a man that the height bee thrice the breadth and the breadth one third of the height was likewise onely obserued in the fabricke of the Temple whose length was double to the height and treble to the breadth as being sixty cubits long thirty high and twenty broad How exquisite a symmetry hast thou ordained O God betwixt the faithfull heart and thy Church on earth with that in heauen how accurate in each of these in all their powers and parts compared with other So hath God ordered the beleeuing soule that it hath neither too much shortnesse of grace nor too much height of conceit nor too much breadth of passion So hath he ordered his visible Church that there is a necessarie inequalitie without any disproportion an height of gouernment a length of extent a breadth of iurisdiction duely answerable to each other So hath he ordered his triumphant Church aboue that it hath a length of eternitie answered with an height of perfection and a breadth of incomprehensible glory In matter All was here of the best The wood was precious sweet lasting The stone beautifull costly insensible of age The gold pure and glittering So are the graces of Gods children excellent in their nature deare in their acceptation eternall in their vse So are the ordinances of God in his Church holy comfortable irrefragable So is the perfection of his glorified Saints incomparable vnconceiuable In situation the outer parts were here more common the inner more holy and peculiarly reserued I finde one Court of the Temple open to the vncleane to the vncircumcised Within that another open onely to the Israelites and of them to the cleane within that yet another proper onely to the Priests and Leuites where was the Brazen Altar for sacrifice and the Brazen sea for washings The eyes of the Laitie might follow their oblations in hither their feet might not Yet more in the couered roomes of the Temple there is whither the Priests onely may enter not the Leuites there is whither the high Priest onely may enter not his brethren It is thus in euery renewed man the indiuiduall temple of God the outward parts are allowed common to God and the world the inwardest and secretest which is the heart is reserued onely for the God that made it It is thus in the Church visible the false and foule-hearted hypocrite hath accesse to the holy ordinances of God and treads in his Courts onely the true Christian hath intire and priuate conuersation with the holy One of Israel He only is admitted into the Holy of Holies and enters within the glorious vaile of heauen If from the wals we looke vnto the furniture What is the Altar whereon our sacrifices of prayer and praises are offered to the Almightie but a contrite heart What the golden Candlestickes but the illumined vnderstanding wherein the light of the knowledge of God and his diuine will shineth for euer What the Tables of Shew-bread but the sanctified memory which keepeth the bread of life continually Yea if we shall presume so farre as to enter into the very closet of Gods Oracle Euen there O God doe wee finde our vnworthy hearts so honoured by thee that they are made thy very Arke wherein thy Royall law and the pot of thine heauenly Manna is kept for euer and from whose propitiatorie shaded with the wings of thy glorious Angels thou giuest thy gracious Testimonies of thy good spirit witnessing with ours that we are the children of thee the liuing God Behold if Salomon built a Temple vnto thee thou hast built a Temple vnto thy selfe in vs We are not onely through thy grace liuing stones in thy Temple but liuing Temples in thy Sion Oh doe thou euer dwell in this thine house and in this thy house let vs euer serue thee Wherefore else hast thou a Temple but for thy presence with vs and for our worshipping of thee The time was when as thy people so thy selfe didst lodge in flitting Tents euer shifting euer mouing thence thou thoughtest best to soiourne both in Shilo and the roofe of Obed-Edom After that thou condescendedst to settle thine abode with men and wouldest dwell in an house of thine owne at thy Ierusalem So didst thou in the beginning lodge with our first Parents in a Tent Soiourne with Israel vnder the law and now makest
himselfe then exclaime against them as Apostates from Gods Couenant Violaters of his Altars murtherers of his Prophets It must needs bee a desperate condition of Israel that driues Elijah to indite them before the throne of God That tongue of his was vsed to plead for them to sue for their pardon it could not be but a forceable wickednesse that makes it their accuser Those Idolatrous Israelites were well forward to reformation The fire and raine from heauen at the prayers of Elijah had wonne them to a scorne of Baal onely the violence of IeZebel turned the streame and now they are re-setled in impietie and persecute him for an enemy whom they almost adored for a benefactor otherwise Elijah had not complained of what they had beene Who would thinke it Iezebel can doe more then Elijah No miracle is so preualent with the vulgar as the sway of authority whether to good or euill Thou art deceiued O Elijah thou art not left alone neither is all Israel tainted God hath children and Prophets in Israel though thou see them not Those cleere eyes of the Seer discerne not the secret store of God they lookt not into Obadiahs Caues they lookt not into the closets of the religious Israelites hee that sees the heart can say I haue left mee seuen thousand in Israel all the knees which haue not bowed to Baal and euery mouth which hath not kissed him According to the fashion of the wealthy God pleaseth himselfe in hidden treasures it is enough that his owne eyes behold his riches Neuer did he neuer will he leaue himselfe vnfurnished with holy clients in the midst of the foulest deprauations of his Church The sight of his faithfull ones hath sometimes been lost neuer the being Doe your worst O ye Gates of Hell God will haue his owne He that could haue more wil haue some that foundation is sure God knoweth who are his It was a true cordiall for Elijahs solitarinesse that hee had seuen thousand inuisible abettors neither is it a small comfort to our weaknesse to haue companions in good for the wickednesse of Israel God hath another receit the oyle of royall and propheticall vnction Elijah must anoint Hazael King of Syria Iehu King of Israel Elisha for his successor All these shall reuenge the quarrels of God and him one shall begin the other shall prosecute the third shall perfect the vengeance vpon Israel A Prophet shall auenge the wrongs done to a Prophet Elisha is found not in his study but in the field not with a booke in his hand but a plough His father Shaphat was a rich farmer in Abel-Meholab himselfe was a good husband trained vp not in the schooles of the Prophets but in the thrifty trade of tillage and behold this was the man whom God will picke out of all Israel for a Prophet God seeth not as man seeth Neither doth he choose men because they are fit but therefore fits them because hee hath chosen them his call is aboue all earthly institution I heare not of ought that Elijah said Onely hee casts his cloake vpon Elisha in the passage That Mantle that act was vocall Together with this signe Gods instinct teacheth the amazed sonne of Shaphat that hee was designed to an higher worke to breake vp the fallow grounds of Israel by his Propheticall function Hee findes a strange vertue in that Robe and as if his heart were changed with that habit forgets his teme and runnes after Elijah and sues for the leaue of a farewell to his Parents ere hee had any but a dumbe command to follow The secret call of God offers an inward force to the heart and insensibly drawes vs beyond the power of our resistance Grace is no enemie to good nature well may the respects to our earthly parents stand with our duties to our Father in heauen I doe not see Elisha wring his hands and deplore his condition that hee shall leaue the world and follow a Prophet but for the ioy of that change hee makes a feast those oxen those vtensils of husbandry whereon his former labours had been bestowed shall now bee gladly deuoted to the celebration of that happy day wherein hee is honoured with so blessed an imployment If with desire if with cheerefulnesse wee doe not enter into the workes of our heauenly Master they are not like to prosper in our hands Hee is not worthy of this spirituall station who holds not the seruice of God his highest his richest preferment Contemplations VPON THE OLD TESTAMENT THE NINETEENTH BOOKE Wherein are Ahab and Benhadad Ahab and Naboth Ahab and Michaiah or the death of Ahab Ahaziah sicke Elijah reuenged The Rapture of Elijah Elisha healing the Waters cursing the Children Relieuing the three Kings Elisha with the Shunamite Naaman and Elisha Elisha raising the iron blinding the Syrians The Famine of Samaria relieued By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON OF VValtham my bountifull and dearely honoured Patron Right Honorable NOne can challenge so much right in these Meditations as your Lordship vnder whose happy shade they receiued their first conception Vnder this Juniper of yours haue J not driuen by force but drawne by pleasure slept thus long sweetly safely and haue receiued these Angelicall touches How iustly may your Lordship claime the fruits of your owne fauours Your carefull studies in the Booke of God are fit to bee exemplary which haue so enriched you that your Teacher shall gaine In this reach of diuine thoughts you shall see Benhadads insolence taken downe by Ahabs victory an humble though Idolatrous Israelite carying it from an insulting Pagan You shall see in Ahab the impotent passions of greatnesse in Naboth bleeding honestie in Iezebel bloody hypocrisie cruell craft plotting from hell pretending from heauen You shall see the wofull successe of an vniust mercy Ahab forfaiting what hee gaue killed by him whom hee should haue killed You shall see resolute Michaiah opposing the mercenarie Synode of Prophets a beaten victor an imprisoned freeman You shall see Ahaziah falling through his grate Elijah climbing vp his Mount mounting vp to his glory fetching fire from Heauen fetcht by a fiery charet to heauen Elisha the heire of his mantle of his spirit no lesse maruellous in his beneficences in his reuenges What doe J foretell all Me thinkes J feele my selfe now too like an Italian host thus to meet your Lordship on the way and to promise before-hand your fare and intertainment Let it please your Lordship rather to see and allow your cheere Jndeed the feast is Gods and not mine wherein store striues with delicacie Jf my cookerie hurt it not it is enough Through your hands I commend it to the world as I doe your Lordship and my honorable good Ladie to the gracious protection of the Almightie iustly vowing my selfe Your Lordships in all faithfull obseruance for euer to command IOS HALL Contemplations AHAB and BENHADAD THere is
the Popes leaue without any reasonable cause that such Mariage of his is a true Mariage and the parties maried are true Husband and Wife and their Issue truely legitimate although in so marying both the parties should sinne mortally in doing this act against the Vow of Chastity without a reasonable or at least a probable cause of their so licensing and consequently neither should the Pope himselfe be excused from mortall sin But if there be any reasonable cause of dispensing with this vow of Chastity then the party thus marying and dispenced with may both safely marry and liue in Mariage And hereupon it appeares That since a reasonable cause of dispensing with this Vow of Chastity may bee not onely the publike Vtility whether Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall but any other greater good then the obseruing of that Chastity it iustly followes that the Pope not only may but with a safe Conscience may dispence with a Priest of the Westerne or Roman Church that he may marry euen besides the cause of a publike benefit And therefore the determination of some hath beene too presumptuous in affirming That absolutely and without such cause the Pope cannot dispence whereas as we haue shewed the Pope may doe it without any cause though in so doing he should sinne and with any reasonable cause without sinne and in both the Matrimony stands firme Thus he Words that neede neither Paraphrase nor Inforcement And how h h Sedes clementissima quae nulli deesse consâ—euit dummodo albi aliquid vel rubei intercedat Matth. Paris Alius abusus est in dispensationibus cum Constitutis in Sacr. Ord. c. vsuall the practice of this Dispensation hath beene that we may not rest onely in Speculation appeares enough by the ingenious complaint of their i i Concil Select Card. Si Sacerdotes non maturâ deliberatione se astrinxerunt videat Rom. Pont. qui circa haec solet dispensare quid sit agendum in particularibus Mart. Perefius c. selected Cardinalls to Paul the third Who cry downe the abuse of these ouer-frequent Grants which they would not haue yeelded but vpon publike and weighty Causes especially say they in these Times wherein the Lutherans vrge this matter with so much vehemence Neither is it long since our kind Apostate M. Carier gaue vs here in England from bigger Men then himselfe an ouerture of the likelyhood of this liberall Dispensation from his holy Father of Rome vpon the conditions of our re-subiection Would we therefore but stoope to kisse the Carbuncle of that sacred Toe our Clergy might as well consist with holy Wedlocke as the Grecian Oh the grosse mockery of Soules not more ignorant then credulous Will his Holinesse dispense with vs for our sinne We can be dispensed with at home for his dispensation It is their Sorrow that the World is growne wiser and findes Heauen no lesse neere to Douer-Cliffe then to the Seuen-hills And ere we leaue this point it is very considerable what may be a reasonable cause of this Dispensation For those very k k His votis afirictus non potest Matrimonium absque Dispensatine iâ—ire quamuis vebementissimis carnis stimulis vrgeatur c. Sanch. l. 7. de Matr. Imped Disp. 11. Authoritas superioris dispensantis expectanda est Communis illa regula Doctorum nominatim Caietani nimirum quando ei qui vouit conflat aliquid esse melius praeteritá voti materia posse propriâ authoritate recedere Sanch. de Matr. l. 7. de Impedim Disp Iesuites which hold the power of this Vow such That the vehementest tentations and foyles of the flesh may not be relieued with an arbitrary Matrimonie since the matter of this Vow is so important and caries so much danger in the violation as that it is not to bee left to the power of a priuate Iudgement though morally certaine whether Matrimonie all things considered be in this particular expedient for that may bee fit for a man as a singular person which is not fit for him as part of the community yet they grant that this extreame perplexednesse and violence of carnall motions is a iust cause of dispensation What need we more Though some l l Angel Matr. 3. Jmped 5. in fine vera cruz 1. part spec art 15. Casuists be more fauourable and grant that in such cases we may not onely allow but perswade Matrimonie to the perplexed Votary As Cardinall m m Aen. Syl. Epist 307. So Benedict 12. gaue Dispensation to Petrarch Archdeacon of Parma to marry his Laura too neere him in blood as it is thought and ex vberiore gratiae that he should keepe all his Promotions and receiue yet more on coâ—dion that the said Benedict might haue the vse of Petrarchs sister Matth. Parker Defens of Pr. Marr. ex Fasciculo Temp. Platina vita Petrarchae c. Aeneas Syluius who was neuer lesse Pius then when he was Pius giues this hearty aduice to his friend Iohn Freünd a Roman Priest that he should notwithstanding his Orders helpe himselfe by Mariage yet the former will serue our turne If therefore those superiours which haue all lawfull and spirituall authority ouer vs shall haue thought good vpon this reasonable cause to giue a generality of dispensation to all such of our Clergie as shall not after all carefull and serious indeuours find themselues able to containe allowing them by these lawfull remedies to quench those impure flames What can any Iesuit or Deuill except against this This is simply the cleere case of them whose cause I maintaine And yet further Put the case this had not been if without the thought of any Romish Dispensation the n n Occidentalis non Orientalis Ecclesia castitatis obtulit votum in Dist 31. Easterne Church neuer held it needfull to require the Vow of single life in the Ministers of the Altar they know the words of their own Glosse why should not our Church challenge the same immunity for that from the generall consideration of Ecclesiastiques as such we may turne our eies to our Ecclesiastiques in speciall no Church vnder heauen kept it selfe more free from the bondage of those tyrannous Impositions The o o Vid postea Epist Girard Eboracens Arch. ad Anselm Huntingd. Fabian Polidor Virgil. vid. post lib. 3. Clergie of this Iland from the beginning neuer offered any such vow the Bishops neuer required it for more if any credit be due to Histories then a thousand yeeres after Christ The great Champion of Rome Master Harding was driuen to say They did it by a becke if not by a Dieu-gard but could neuer proue it done by either Neither is it more worth my Readers note then my Aduersaries indignation that the wise Prouidence of God so pleased to contriue it of old as that from the beginning of the first conuersion of this happy Island it rather conspired with the Greek Church then with the Roman After the Grecian account we