neither must dye nor be quenched God as he is himselfe eternall so he loues permanency and constancie of grace in vs If wee be but a flash and away God regards vs not all promises are to perseuerance Sure it is but an elementary fire that goes out that which is celestiall continues it was but some presumptuous heat in vs that decayes vpon euery occasion But he that miraculously sent downe this fire at first will not renew the miracle euery day by a like supply it began immediately from God it must bee nourished by meanes Fuell must maintaine that fire which came from Heauen God wil not work miracles euery day if he haue kindled his Spirit in vs we may not expect he shall euery day begin againe wee haue the fuell of the Word and Sacraments Prayers and Meditations which must keepe it in for euer It is from God that these helps can nourish his graces in vs like as euery flame of our materiall fire hath a concourse of prouidence but we may not expect new infusions rather know that God expects of vs an improuement of those habituall graces we haue receiued Whiles the people with feare and ioy see God lighting his owne fire fire from heauen the two sonnes of Aaron in a carelesse presumption will be seruing him with a common flame As if he might not haue leaue to choose the formes of his owne worship If this had beene done some ages after when the memory of the originall of this heauenly fire had beene worne out it might haue beene excused with ignorance but now when God had newly sent his fire from aboue newly commanded the continuance of it either to let it goe out or whiles it still flamed to fetch prophane coales to Gods Altar could sauour of no lesse then presumption and Sacriledge when we bring zeale without knowledge misconceits of faith carnall affections the deuices of our Wil-worship Superstitious Deuotions into Gods Seruice we bring common fire to his Altar these flames were neuer of his kindling Hee hates both Altar Fire Priest and Sacrifice And now behold the same fire which consumed the Sacrifice before consumes the Sacrificers It was the signe of his acceptation in consuming the beast but whiles it destroyed men the fearfull signe of his displeasure By the same meanes can God bewray both loue and hatred Wee would haue pleaded for Nadab and Abihu They are but yong-men the sonnes of Aaron not yet warme in their Function let both age and blood and inexperience excuse them as yet No pretences no priuiledges can beare off a sinne with God Men thinke either to patronize or mitigate euils by their fained reasons That no man may hope the plea either of birth or of youth or of the first commission of euill may challenge pardon I see heere yong men sonnes of the Ruler of Israel for the first offence strooke dead Yea this made God the more to stomack and the rather to reuenge this impiety because the Sonnes of Aaron did it God had both pardoned and graced their Father he had honoured them of the thousands of Israel culling them out for his Altar and now as their Father set vp a false god so they bring false fire vnto the True God If the sonnes of Infidels liue godlessely they doe their kinde their punishment shall be though iust yet lesse but if the children of religious Parents after all Christian nurture shall shame their Education God takes it more hainously and reuenges is more sharply The more bonds of duty the more plagues of neglect If from the Agents wee looke to the act it selfe set aside the originall descent and what difference was there betwixt these fires Both lookt alike heated alike ascended alike consumed alike both were fed with the same materiall wood both vanished into smoke There was no difference but the Commandement of God If God had inioyned ordinarie fire they had sinned to looke for celestiall now he commanded onely the fire which he sent they sinned in sending vp Incense in that fire which he commanded not It is a dangerous thing in the seruice of God to decline from his owne institutions we haue to doe with a power which is wise to prescribe his owne worship iust to require what he hath prescribed powerful to reuenge that which he hath not required If God had strooke them with some Leprosie in their forehead as he did their Aunt Miriam soon after or with some palsie or lingering consumption the punishment had beene grieuous but he whose iudgements are euer iust sometimes secret saw fire the fittest reuenge for a sinne of fire his owne fire fittest to punish strange fire A sudden iudgement fit for a present and exemplarie sinne He saw that if he had winkt at this his seruice had been exposed to prophanation It is wisedome in gouernours to take sinne at the first bound and so to reuenge it that their punishments may bee preuentions Speed of death is not alwayes a iudgement suddennesse as it is euer iustly suspicable so then certainly argues anger when it finds vs in an act of sinne Leasure of repentance is an argument of fauour vvhen God giues a man Law it implyes that he would not haue iudgement surprize him Doubtlesse Aaron lookt somewhat heauily on this sad spectacle It could not but appall him to see his two sonnes dead before him dead in displeasure dead suddenly dead by the immediate hand of God And now hee could repent him of his new honour to see it succeed so ill with the sonnes of his loynes neither could hee chuse but see himselfe stricken in them But his Brother Moses that had learned not to know either Nephewes or Brother when they stood in his way to God wisely turned his eyes from the dead carkasses of his Sonnes to his respect of the liuing God My Brother this euent is fearfull but iust These were thy sonnes but they sinned it was not for God it is not for thee to looke so much who they were as what they did It was their honour and thine that they were chosen to minister before the Lord Hee that called them iustly required their Sanctification obedience If they haue prophaned God and themselues can thy naturall affection so miscary thee that thou couldest wish their impunity with the blemish of thy Maker Our sonnes are not ours if they disobey our Father to pitie their misery is to partake of their sinnes If thou grudge at their iudgement take heed lest the same fire of God come forth vpon this strange fire of nature Shew now whether thou more louest God or thy sonnes Shew whether thou be a better Father or a Sonne Aaron weighing these things holds his peace not out of an amazement or sullennesse but out of patient and humble submission and seeing Gods pleasure and their desert is content to forget that hee had sonnes He might haue had a silent tongue and a clamorous heart There is no voice louder in
the eares of God then a speechlesse repining of the soule Heat is more intended with keeping in but Aarons silence was no lesse inward He knew how little he should get by brawling with God If he breathed our discontentment he saw God could speake fire to him againe And therefore he quietly submits to the will of God and held his peace because the Lord had done it There is no greater proofe of grace then to smart patiently and humbly and contentedly to rest the heart in the iustice and wisedome of Gods proceeding and to bee so farre from chiding that we dispute not Nature is froward and though shee well knowes we meddle not with our match when we striue with our Maker yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell and bids vs with Iobs wife Curse and dye If God either chide or smite as seruants are charged to their Masters wee may not answer againe when Gods hand is on our backe our hand must be our mouth else as mothers doe their children God shall whip vs so much the more for crying It is hard for a stander by in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-heartednesse and piety There Aaron sees his sonnes lye he may neither put his hand to them to bury them nor shead a teare for their death Neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning then to see his sonnes dead in their sinne if prepared and penitent yet who can but sorrow for their end but to part with children to the danger of a second death is worthy of more then teares Yet Aaron must learne so farre to deny nature that he must more magnifie the iustice of God then lament the iudgement Those whom God hath called to his immediate seruice must know that hee will not allow them the common passions and cares of others Nothing is more naturall then sorrow for the death of our owne if euer griefe be seasonable it becomes a funerall And if Nadab and Abihu had dyed in their beds this fauour had been allowed them the sorrow of their Father and Brethren for when God forbids solemne mourning to his Priests ouer the dead hee excepts the cases of this neernesse of blood Now all Israel may mourne for these two only the Father and Brethren may not God is iealous lest their sorrow should seeme to countenance the sinne which he had punished euen the fearfullest acts of God must be applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull That which the Father and Brother may not doe the Cousins are commanded dead carkasses are not for the presence of God His iustice was shewne sufficiently in killing them They are now fit for the graue not the Sanctuary Neither are they caried out naked but in their coats It was an vnusuall sight for Israel to see a linnen Ephod vpon the Beere The iudgement was so much more remarkable because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs Nothing is either more pleasing vnto God or more commodious to men then that when he hath executed iudgement it should bee seene and wondred at for therefore he strikes some that he may warne all Of AARON and MIRIAM THe Israelites are stayed seuen dayes in the station of Hazzeroth for the punishment of Miriam The sinnes of the gouernors are a iust stop to the people all of them smart in one all must stay the leasure of Miriams recouerie Whosoeuer seekes the Land of Promise shall finde many lets Amalek Og Schon and the Kings of Canaan meet with Israel these resisted but hindred not their passage their sinnes onely stay them from remouing Afflictions are not crosses to vs in the way to heauen in comparison to our sinnes What is this I see Is not this Aaron that was brother in nature and by office ioynt Commissioner with Moses Is not this Aaron that made his Brother an Intercessor for him to God in the case of his Idolatry Is not this Aaron that climbed vp the Hill of Sinai with Moses Is not this Aaron whom the mouth and hand of Moses consecrated an high Priest vnto God Is not this Miriam the elder Sister of Moses Is not this Miriam that led the Triumph of the Women and sung gloriously to the Lord It not this Miriam which layd her Brother Moses in the Reeds and fetcht her Mother to be his Nurse Both Prophets of God both the flesh and blood of Moses And doth this Aaron repine at the honor of him which gaue himselfe that honour and saued his life Doth this Miriam repine at the prosperity of him whose life she saued Who would not haue thought this should haue beene their glory to haue seene the glory of their owne Brother What could haue beene a greater comfort to Miriam then to thinke How happily doth he now sit at the Sterne of Israel whom I saued from perishing in a Boat of Bul-rushes It is to mee that Israel owes this Commander But now enuy hath so blinded their eyes that they can neither see this priuiledge of nature nor the honour of Gods choyce Miriam and Aaron are in mutiny against Moses Who is so holy that sinnes not What sinne is so vnnaturall that the best can auoyde without God But what weaknesse soeuer may plead for Miriam who can but grieue to see Aaron at the end of so many sinnes Of late I saw him caruing the molten Image and consecrating an Altar to a false god now I see him seconding an vnkind mutiny against his Brother Both sinnes find him accessary neither principall It was not in the power of the legall Priesthood to performe or promise innocency to her Ministers It was necessary wee should haue another high Priest which could not bee tainted That King of righteousnesse was of another order He being without sinne hath fully satisfied for the sinnes of men Whom can it now offend to see the blemishes of the Euangelicall Priesthood when Gods first high Priest is thus miscaried Who can looke for loue and prosperity at once when holy and meeke Moses finds enmity in his owne flesh and blood Rather then we shall want A mans enemies shall be those of his owne house Authority cannot fayle of opposition if it be neuer so mildly swayed that common make-bate will rather raise it out of our owne bosome To doe well and heare ill is Princely The Midianitish wife of Moses cost him deare Before she hazarded his life now the fauour of his people Vnequall matches are seldome prosperous Although now this scandall was onely taken Enuy was not wise enough to choose a ground of the quarrell Whether some secret and emulatory brawles passed between Zipporah and Miriam as many times these sparkes of priuate brawles grow into a perillous and common flame or whether now that Iethro and his family was ioyned with Israel there were surmises of transporting the Gouernment to strangers or whether this vnfit choice of Moses is now raised vp to disparage Gods gifts in him Euen in fight the exceptions were
worst be spared is happiest 40 It was a fit comparison of worldly cares to thornes for as they choke the Word so they pricke our soules Neither the Word can grow vp amongst them nor the heart can rest vpon them Neither body nor soule can finde ease while they are within or close to vs. Spirituall cares are as sharp but more profitable they paine vs but leaue the soule better They breake our sleepe but for a sweeter rest we are not well but either while we haue them or after we haue had them It is as impossible to haue spirituall health without these as to haue bodily strength with the other 41 In temporall good things it is best to liue in doubt not making full account of that which wee hold in so weake a tenure In spirituall with confidence not fearing that which is warranted to vs by an infallible promise and sure earnest He liues more contentedly that is most secure for this world most resolute for the other 42 God hath in nature giuen euery man inclinations to some one particular calling which if he follow he excels if he crosse hee proues a non-proficient and changeable but all mens natures are equally indisposed to grace and to the common vocation of Christianity we are all borne Heathens To doe well Nature must in the first be obserued and followed in the other crossed and ouercome 43 Good-man is a title giuen to the lowest whereas all Titles of Greatnesse Worship Honor are obserued and attributed with choice The speech of the World bewraies their minde and shewes the common estimation of goodnesse compared with other qualities The World therefore is an ill Herald and vnskilfull in the true stiles It were happie that Goodnesse were so common and pitty that it either should not stand with Greatnesse or not be preferred to it 44 Amongst all actions Satan is euer busiest in the best and most in the best part of the best as in the end of Praier when the heart should cloze vp it selfe with most comfort He neuer feares vs but when we are well emploied and the more likelihood he sees of our profit the more is his enuy and labour to distract vs. We should loue our selues as much as he hates vs and therefore striue so much the more towards our good as his malice striueth to interrupt it We doe nothing if we contend not when we are resisted The good soule is euer in contradiction denying what is granted and contending for that which is denied suspecting when it is gaine-said and fearing libertie 45 God fore-warnes ere he try because he would be preuented Satan steales vpon vs suddenly by temptations because he would foile vs. If we relent not vpon Gods premonition and meet not the lingring pase of his punishments to fore-stall them he punisheth more by how much his warning was more euident and more large Gods trials must be met when they come Satans must be seene before they come and if we be not armed ere we be assaulted we shall be foiled ere we can be armed 46 It is not good to be continuall in denunciation of iudgement The noise to which we are accustomed though lowd wakes vs not whereas a lesse if vnusuall stirreth vs. The next way to make threatnings contemned is to make them common It is a profitable rod that strikes sparingly and frights somewhat oftner than it smiteth 47 Want of vse causeth disabilitie and custome perfection Those that haue not vsed to pray in their Closet cannot pray in publike but coldly and in forme He that discontinues meditation shall be long in recouering whereas the man inured to these exercises who is not dressed till he haue praied nor hath supped till hee haue meditated doth both these well and with ease He that intermits good duties incurres a double losse of the blessing that followeth good of the facultie of doing it 48 Christianity is both an easie yoke and an hard hard to take vp easie to beare when once taken The heart requires much labour ere it can be induced to stoope vnder it and findes as much contentment when it hath stooped The worldling thinkes Religion seruilitie but the Christian knowes whose slaue he was till hee entred into this seruice and that no bondage can be so euill as freedome from these bonds 49 It is a wonder how full of shifts Nature is ready to turne ouer all good purposes If we thinke of death she suggests secretly Tush it shall not come yet If of iudgement for sinne This concernes not thee it shall not come at all If of heauen and our labour to reach it Trouble not thy selfe it will come soone enough alone Addresse thy selfe to pray It is yet vnseasonable stay for a better opportunitie To giue almes Thou knowest not thy owne future wants To reproue What needst thou thrust thy selfe into wilfull hatred Euery good action hath his let He can neuer be good that is not resolute 50 All Arts are Maids to Diuinitie therefore they both vaile to her and doe her seruice and she like a graue Mistresse controlles them at pleasure Naturall Philosophy teacheth that of nothing can bee nothing made and that from the priuation to the habit is no returne Diuinitie takes her vp for these and vpon supernaturall principles teaches her a Creation a Resurrection Philosophy teaches vs to follow sense as an infallible guide Diuinitie tels her that Faith is of things not seene Logick teaches vs first to discourse then to resolue Diuinitie to assent without arguing Ciuill Law teacheth that long custome prescribeth Diuinitie that old things are passed Morall Philosophy that tallying of iniuries is iustice Diuinitie that good must be returned for ill Policy that better is a mischiefe than an inconuenience Diuinitie that we may not doe euill that good may ensue The Schoole is well ordred while Diuinitie keepes the Chaire but if any other skill vsurpe it and checke their Mistresse there can follow nothing but confusion and Atheisme 51 Much difference is to be made betwixt a reuolter and a man trained vp in error A Iew and an Arrian both deny Christs Deity yet this opinion is not in both punisht with bodily death Yea a reuolt to a lesse error is more punishable than education in a capitall Heresie Errors of iudgement though lesse regarded than errors of practice yet are more pernicious but none so deadly as theirs that once were in the truth If truth be not sued to it is dangerous but if forsaken desperate 52 It is an ill argument of a good action not well done when we are glad that it is done To be affected with the comfort of the conscience of well performing it is good but meerely to reioyce that the act is ouer is carnall He neuer can begin cheerefully that is glad he hath ended 53 He that doth not secret seruice to God with some delight doth but counterfeit in publique The truth of any act or passion is then best tried when it
looked to Gods hand for right Our fâ—ines exclude vs from Gods protection whereas vprightnesse challenges and findes his patronage An Affe taken had made him vncapable of fauour Corrupt Gouernors lose the comfort of their owne brest and the tuition of God The same tongue that prayed against the Conspirators prayes for the people As lewd men thinke to carie it with number Corah had so farre preuailed that hee had drawne the multitude to his side God the auenger of treasons would haue consumed them all at once Moses and Aaron pray for their Rebels Although they were worthy of death and nothing but death could stop their mouths yet their mercifull Leaders will not buy their owne peace with the losse of such enemies Oh rare and imitable mercy The people rise vp against their Gouernors Their Gouernors fall on their faces to God for the people so farre are they from plotting reuenge that they will not endure God should reuenge for them Moses knew well enough that all those Israelites must perish in the Wildernesse God had vowed it for their former insurrection yet how earnestly doth hee sue to God not to consume them at once The very respit of euils is a fauour next to the remouall Corah kindled the fire the two hundred and fifty Captaines brought sticks to it All Israel warmed themselues by it onely the incendiaries perish Now doe the Israelites owe their life to them whose death they intended God and Moses knew to distinguish betwixt the heads of a faction and the traine though neither be faultlesse yet the one is plagued the other forgiuen Gods vengeance when it is at the hotest makes differences of men Get you away from about the Tabernacles of Corah Euer before common iudgements there is a separation In the vniuersall iudgement of all the earth the Iudge himselfe will separate in these particular executions we must separate our selues The societie of wicked men especially in their sinnes is mortally dangerous whiles we will not be parted how can wee complaine if we be enwrapped in their condemnation Our very company sinnes with them why should wee not smart with them also Moses had well hoped that when these Rebels should see all the Israelites run from them as from monsters and looking affrightedly vpon their Tents and should heare that fearfull Proclamation of vengeance against them howsoeuer they did before set a face on their conspiracie yet now their hearts would haue misgiuen But lo these bold Traitors stand impudently staring in the doore of their Tents as if they would outface the reuenge of God As if Moses had neuer wrought miracle before them As if no one Israelite had euer bled for rebelling Those that shall perish are blinded Pride and infidelitie obdures the heart and makes euen cowards fearlesse So soone as the innocent are seuered the guilty perish the earth cleaues and swallowes vp the Rebels This element was not vsed to such morsels It deuoures the carkasses of men but bodies informed with liuing soules neuer before To haue seene them struck dead vpon the earth had been fearfull but to see the earth at once their executioner and graue was more horrible Neither the Sea nor the Earth are fit to giue passage The Sea is moist and flowing and will not be diuided for the continuitie of it The earth is dry and massie and will neither yeeld naturally not meet againe when it hath yeelded yet the waters did cleaue to giue way vnto Israel for their preseruation the earth did cleaue to giue way to the Conspirators in iudgement Both Sea and Earth did shut their iawes againe vpon the aduersaries of God There was more wonder in this latter It was a maruell that the waters opened it was no wonder that they shut againe for the retiring and flowing was naturall It was no lesse maruell that the earth opened but more maruell that it did shut againe because it had no naturall disposition to meet when it was diuided Now might Israel see they had to doe with a God that could reuenge with ease There were two sorts of Traitors the Earth swallowed vp the one the Fire the other All the elements agree to serue the vengeance of their Maker Nadab and Abihu brought fit persons but vnfit fire to God these Leuites bring the right fire but vnwarranted persons before him Fire from God consumes both It is a dangerous thing to vsurpe sacred functions The ministerie will not grace the man The man may disgrace the ministerie The common people were not so fast gathered to Corahs flattering perswasion before as now they ranne from the sight and feare of his iudgement I maruell not if they could not trust that earth whereon they stood whiles they knew their hearts had been false It is a madnesse to run away from punishment and not from sinne Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. The Brazen Serpent Balaam Phinehas The death of Moses BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO MY RIGHT HONOVRABLE RELIGIOVS AND BOVNTIFVLL PATRONE EDWARD LORD DENNY BARON OF WALTHAM THE CHIEFE COMFORT OF MY LABOVRS J. H. WISHETH ALL TRVE HAPPINESSE AND DEDICATES THIS PART OF HIS MEDITATIONS Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE AARONS Censer and Rod. WHen shall wee see an end of these murmurings and these iudgements Because these men rose vp against Moses and Aaron therefore God consumed them and because God consumed them therefore the people rise vp against Moses and Aaron and now because the people thus murmure God hath againe begun to consume them What a circle is here of sinnes and iudgements Wrath is gone out from God Moses is quick-sighted and spies it at the setting out By how much more faithfull and familiar wee are with God so much earlier doe we discerne his iudgements as those which are well acquainted with men know by their lookes and gestures that which strangers vnderstand but by their actions As finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of weather Hence the Seers of God haue euer from their Watch-tower descried the iudgements of God afarre off If another man had seene from Carmel a cloud of a hand-breadth he could not haue told Ahab he should be wet It is enough for Gods Messengers out of their acquaintance with their Masters proceedings to fore-see punishment No maruell if those see it not which are wilfully sinfull we men reueale not our secret purposes either to enemies or strangers all their fauour is to feele the plague ere they can espy it Moses though he were great with God yet hee takes not vpon him this reconciliation he may aduise Aaron what to do himselfe vndertakes not to act it It is the worke of the Priesthood to make an atonement for the people Aaron was first his brothers tongue to Pharaoh now he is the peoples tongue to God he onely must offer vp the incense of the publike prayers to God Who would not thinke it a small thing to hold a Censer in his
Egypt thorow the Sea and wildernesse within the sight of their promised Land and now himselfe must take possession of that Land whereof Canaan was but a type When we haue done that we came for it is time for vs to be gone This earth is made only for action not for fruition the seruices of Gods children should be ill rewarded if they must stay here alwaies Let no man thinke much that those are fetcht away which are faithful to God They should not change if it were not to their preferment It is our folly that wee would haue good men liue for euer and account it an haâ—d measure that they were Hee that lends them to the world owes them a better turne then this earth can pay them It were iniurious to wish that goodnesse should hinder any man from glory So is the death of Gods Saints precious that it is certaine Moses must goe vp to mount Nebo and die The time the place and euery circumstance of his dissolution is determined That one dyes in the field another in his bed another in the water one in a forraine Nation another in his owne is fore-decreed in heauen And though we heare it not vocally yet God hath called euery man by his name and saith Die thou there One man seemes to dye casually another by an inexpected violence both fall by a destiny and all is set downe to vs by an eternall decree He that brought vs into the world will cary vs out according to his owne purposes Moses must ascend vp to the hill to dye He receiued his charge for Israel vpon the hill of Sinai And now hee deliuers vp his charge on the hill of Nebo His brother Aaron dyed on one hill hee on another As Christ was transfigured on an hill so was this excellent type of his neither doubt I but that these hills were types to them of that heauen whither they were aspiring It is the goodnesse of our God that hee will nor haue his children dye any where but where they may see the Land of Promise before them neither can they depart without much comfort to haue seene it Contrarily a wicked man that lookes downe and sees hell before him how can hee choose but find more horrour in the end of death then in the way How familiarly doth Moses heare of his end It is no more betwixt God and Moses but goe vp and dye If he had inuited him to a meale it could not haue beene in a more sociable compellation No otherwise then he said to his other Prophet Vp and eate It is neither harsh nor newes to Gods children to heare or thinke of their departure To them death hath lost his horror through acquaintance Those faces which at first sight seemed ill-fauoured by oft viewing grow out of dislike They haue so oft thought and resolued of the necessity and of the issue of their dissolution that they cannot hold it either strange or vnwelcome He that hath had such entire conuersation with God cannot feare to goe to him Those that know him not or know that he will not know them no maruell if they tremble This is no small fauour that God warnes Moses of his end he that had so oft made Moses of his counsel what he meant to do with Israel would not now do ought with himselfe without his knowledge Expectation of any maine euent is a great aduantage to a wise heart If the fiery chariot had fetcht away Elias vnlookt for wee should haue doubted of the fauour of his transportation It is a token of iudgement to come as a theefe in the night God forewarnes one by sicknesse another by age another by his secret instincts to prepare for their end If our hearts bee not now in readinesse we are worthy to be surprized But what is this I heare Displeasure mixed with loue and that to so faithfull a seruant as Moses He must but see the Land of Promise he shall not tread vpon it because he once long agoe sinned in distrusting Death though it were to him an entrance into glory yet shall be also a chastisement of his infidelity How many noble proofes had Moses giuen of his courage and strength of faith How many gracious seruices had he done to his Master Yet for one act of distrust he must bee gathered to his Fathers All our obediences cannot beare out one sinne against God How vainly shall we hope to make amends to God for our former trespasses by our better behauiour when Moses hath this one sinne laid in his dish after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelitie When we haue forgotten our sinnes yet God remembers them and although not in anger yet he cals for our arrerages Alas what shall become of them with whom God hath ten thousand greater quarrels that amongst many millions of sinnes haue scattered some few acts of formall seruices If Moses must die the first death for one fault how shall they escape the second for sinning alwayes Euen where God loues he will not winke at sinne and if he doe not punish yet he will chastise How much lesse can it stand with that eternall Iustice to let wilfull sinners escape iudgement It might haue beene iust with God to haue reserued the cause to himselfe and in a generalitie to haue told Moses that his sinne must shorten his iourney but it is more of mercy then iustice that his children shall know why they smart That God may at once both iustifie himselfe and humble them for their particular offences Those to whom he meanes vengeance haue not the sight of their sinnes till they be past repentance Complaine not that God vpbraides thee with thy old sinnes whosoeuer thou art but know it is an argument of loue whereas concealement is a fearefull signe of a secret dislike from God But what was that noted sinne which deserues this late exprobation and shall cary so sharpe a chastisement Israel murmured for water God bids Moses take the rod in his hand and speak to the rock to giue water Moses in stead of speaking and striking the rocke with his voice strikes it with the rod Here was his sinne An ouer-reaching of his commission a fearefulnesse and distrust of the effect The rod he knew was approued for miracles he knew not how powerfull his voyce might be therefore hee did not speake but strike and he strooke twice for failing And now after these many yeares hee is striken for it of God It is a dangerous thing in diuine matters to goe beyond our warrant Those sinnes which seeme triuiall to men are haynous in the account of God Any thing that fauours of infidelity displeases him more then some other crimes of morality Yet the mouing of the Rod was but a diuerse thing from the mouing of the tongue it was not contrary He did not forbid the one but he commanded the other This was but acrosse the streame not against it where shall they appeare whose whole
brethren Craftily yet and vnder pretence of a false title had they acknowledged the victory of Gideon with what forehead could they haue denied him bread Now I know not whether their faithlesnesse or enuy lie in their way Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna in thy hands There were none of these Princes of Succoth and Penuel but thought themselues better men then Gideon That he therefore alone should doe that which all the Princes of Israel durst not attempt they hated and scorned to heare It is neuer safe to measure euents by the power of the instrument nor in the causes of God whose calling makes the difference to measure others by our selues There is nothing more dangerous then in holy businesses to stand vpon comparisons and our owne reputation sith it is reason God should both chuse and blesse where he lists To haue questioned so sudden a victory had been pardonable but to deny it scornfully was vnworthy of Israelites Carnall men thinke that impossible to others which themselues cannot doe From hence are their censures hence their exclamations Gideon hath vowed a fearefull reuenge and now performes it the taunts of his brethren may not stay him from the pursuit of the Midianites Common enmities must first be opposed domesticall at more leysure The Princes of Succoth feared the tyranny of the Midianitish Kings but they more feared Gideons victory What a condition hath their enuy drawne them into that they are sorry to see Gods enemies captiue that Israels freedome must be their death that the Midianites and they must tremble at one and the same Reuenger To see themselues prisoners to Zeba and Zalmunna had not been so fearefull as to see Zeba and Zalmunna prisoners to Gideon Nothing is more terrible to euill mindes then to reade their owne condemnation in the happy successe of others hell it selfe would want one piece of his torment if the wicked did not know those whom they contemned glorious I know not whether more to commend Gideons wisedome and moderation in the proceedings then his resolution and iustice in the execution of this businesse I doe not see him run furiously into the City and kill the next His sword had not been so drunken with bloud that it should know no difference But he writes down the names of the Princes and singles them forth for reuenge When the Leaders of God come to a Iericho or Ai their slaughter was vnpartiall not a woman or child might liue to tell newes but now that Gideon comes to a Succoth a City of Israelites the rulers are called forth to death the people are frighted with the example not hurt with the iudgement To enwrappe the innocent in any vengeance is a murderous iniustice Indeed where all ioyne in the sin all are worthy to meet in the punishment It is like the Citizens of Succoth could haue been glad to succour Gideon if their rulers had not forbidden they must therefore escape whiles their Princes perish I cannot thinke of Gideons reuenge without horror That the Rulers of Succoth should haue their flesh torne from their backs with thornes and briers that they should bee at once beaten and scratcht to death What a spectacle it was to see their bare bones looking some-where thorow the bloudy ragges of their flesh and skinne and euery stroke worse then the last death multiplied by torment Iustice is sometimes so seuere that a tender beholder can scarce discerne it from cruelty I see the Midianites fare lesse ill the edge of the sword makes a speedy and easie passage for their liues whiles these rebellious Israelites dye lingringly vnder thornes and bryers enuying those in their death whom their life abhorred Howsoeuer men liue or dye without the pale of the Church a wicked Israelite shall be sure of plagues How many shall vnwish themselues Christians when Gods reuenges haue found them out The place where Iacob wrestled with God and preuailed now hath wrestled against God and takes a fall they see God auenging which would not beleeue him deliuering It was now time for Zeba and Zalmunna to follow those their troops to the graue whom they had led in the field Those which the day before were attended with an hundred thirty fiue thousand followers haue not so much as a Page now left to weep for their death and haue liued onely to see all their friends and some enemies dye for their sakes Who can regard earthly greatnesse that sees one night change two of the greatest Kings of the World into captiues It had been both pitty and sinne that the Heads of that Midianitish tyranny into which they had drawn so many thousands should haue escaped that death And yet if priuate reuenge had not made Gideon iust I doubt whether they had died The bloud of his brothers cals for theirs and awakes his sword to their execution He both knew and complained of the Midianitish oppression vnder which Israel groned yet the cruelty offered to all the thousands of his Fathers sonnes had not drawne the bloud of Zeba and Zalmunna if his owne mothers sonnes had not bled by their hands He that slew the Rulers of Succoth and Penuel spared the people now hath slain the people of Midian and would haue spared their Rulers but that God which will finde occasions to winde wicked men into iudgement will haue them slaine in a priuate quarrel which had more deserued it for the publike If we may not rather say that Gideon reuenged these as a Magistrate not as a brother For Gouernours to respect their owne ends in publike actions and to weare the sword of iustice in their owne sheath it is a wrongfull abuse of authority The slaughter of Gideons brethren was not the greatest sinne of the Midianitish Kings this alone shall kill them when the rest expected an vniust remission How many lewd men hath God payd with some one sinne for all the rest Some that haue gone away with vnnuturally filthinesse and capitall thefts haue clipped off their owne dayes with their coyne Others whose bloudy murders haue been punished in a mutinous word Others whose suspected felony hath payd the price of their vnknowne rape O God thy iudgements are iust euen when mens are vniust Gideons young soone is bidden to reuenge the death of his Vncles His sword had not yet learned the way to bloud especially of Kings though in yrons Deadly executions require strength both of heart and face How are those aged in euill that can draw their swords vpon the lawfuly Anointed of God These Tyrants plead not now for coutinuance of life but for the haste of their death Fall thou vpon vs. Death is euer accompanied with paine which it is no maruell if we wish short We doe not more affect protraction of an easefull life then speed in our dissolution for here euery pang that tends toward death renewes it To lye an houre vnder death is tedious but to be dying a whole day we thinke aboue the
issue can distinguish betwixt a Dauid and a Doeg when they are both in the Tabernacle Honest Ahimelech could little suspect that he now offered a Sacrifice for his Executioner yea for the Murtherer of all his Family Oh the wise and deepe iudgements of the Almighty God owed a reuenge to the House of Eli and now by the delation of Doeg he takes occasion to pay it It was iust in God which in Doeg was most vniust Sauls cruelty and the trecherie of Doeg doe not lose one dram of their guilt by the Counsell of God neither doth the holy Counsell of God gather any blemish by their wickednesse If it had pleased God to inflict death vpon them sooner without any pretence of occasion his Iustice had beene cleere from all imputations now if Saul and Doeg be in stead of a pestilence or feuer who can cauill The iudgements of God are not open but are alwaies iust He knowes how by one mans sinne to punish the sinne of another and by both their sinnes and punishments to glorifie himselfe If his word sleepe it shall not dye but after long intermissions breakes forth in those effects which wee had forgotten to looke for and ceased to feare O Lord thou art sure when thou threatnest and iust when thou iudgest Keepe thou vs from the sentence of death else in vaine shall we labour to keepe our selues from the execution Contemplations THE FOVRTEENTH BOOKE Containing SAVL in DAVIDS Caue NABAL and ABIGAIL DAVID and ACHISH SAVL and the Witch of Endor ZIKLAG spoyled and reuenged The death of SAVL ABNER and IOAB By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD PHILIP EARLE OF MONGOMERY ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN OF HIS MAIESTIES Bed-chamber and Knight of the most Honourable Order of the GARTER RIGHT HONOVRABLE AFter some vnpleasing intermissions Ireturne to that taske of Contemplation wherin onely my soule findeth rest Jf in other imployments I haue indeuoured to serue God and his Church yet in none I must confesse with equall contentment Me thinkes Controuersie is not right in my way to Heauen how euer the importunitie of an Aduersary may force me to fetch it in If Truth oppressed by an erroneous Teacher cry like a rauisht Virgin for my aid J betray it if J releeue it not when J haue done J returne gladly to these paths of Peace The fauour which my late Polemicall labour hath found beyond merit from the Learned cannot diuert my loue to those wrangling Studies How earnestly doth my heart rather wish an vniuersall cessation of these Armes that all the Professors of the deare Name of Christ might bee taken vp with nothing but holy and peaceable thoughts of Deuotion the sweetnesse whereof hath so farre affected mee that if I might doe it without danger of mis-construction I could beg euen of an Enemie this leaue to bee happy I haue already giuen account to the World of some expences of my houres this way and heere I bring more which if some Reader may censure as poore none can censure as vnprofitable J am bold to write them vnder your Honorable Name whereto I am deeply obliged that I may leaue behinde me this meane but faithfull Testimony of mine humble thankfulnesse to your Lordship and your most honoured and vertuous Ladie The noble respects J haue had from you both deserue my Prayers and best seruices which shall neuer be wanting to you and yours From your Honours sincerely deuoted in all true duty IOS HALL Contemplations SAVL IN DAVIDS CAVE IT was the strange lot of Dauid that those whom he pursued preserued him from those whom he had preserued The Philistims whom Dauid had newly smitten in Keilah call off Saul from smiting Dauid in the wildernesse when there was but an hillocke betwixt him and death Wicked purposes are easily checked not easily broken off Sauls Sword is scarce dry from the bloud of the Philistims when it thirsts anew for the bloud of Dauid and now in a renewed chase hunts him dry-foot thorow euery wildernesse The very Desart is too faire a refuge for innocence The hils and rockes are searched in an angry iealousie the very wilde Goats of the mountaines were not allowed to be companions for him which had no fault but his vertue Oh the seemingly-vnequall distribution of these earthly things Cruelty and oppression reignes in a Palace whiles goodnesse lurkes among the Rockes and Caues and thinkes it happinesse enough to steale a life Like a dead man Dauid is faine to be hid vnder the earth and seekes the comfort of protection in darknesse and now the wise prouidence of God leades Saul to his enemy without bloud He which before brought them within an hils dâ—stance without interuiew brings them now both within one roofe so as that whiles Saul seekes Dauid and finds him not he is found of Dauid vnsought If Saul had known his own opportunities how Dauid and his men had interred themselues he had saued a treble labour of chase of execution and buriall for had he but stopt the mouth of that Caue his enemies had laid themselues downe in their owne Graues The Wisdome of God thinkes fit to hide from euill men and spirits those meanes and seasons which might be if they had beene taken most preiudiciall to his owne we had beene oft foiled if Satan could but haue knowne our hearts sometimes we lie open to euils and happy it is for vs that he only knowes it which pitâ—ies in stead of tempting vs. It is not long since Saul said of Dauid lodged then in Keilah God hath deliuered him into mine hands for he is shut in seeing he is come into a city that hath gates and bars but now contrarily God deliuers Saul ere he was aware into the hands of Dauid and without the helpe of gates and barres hath inclosed him within the Valley of death How iust is it with God that those who seeke mischiefe to others finde it to themselues and euen whiles they are spreading nets are insnared Their deliberate plotting of euill is surprized with a sudden iudgement How amazedly must Dauid needs looke when hee saw Saul enter into the Caue where himselfe was what is this thinkes he which God hath done Is this presence purposed or casuall is Saul here to pursue or to tempt me Where suddenly the action bewrayes the intent and tels Dauid that Saul sought secrecy and not him The superfluity of his maliciousnesse brought him into the Wildernesse the necessity of nature led him into the Caue Euen those actions wherein wee place shame are not exempted from a prouidence The fingers of Dauids followers itched to sease on their Masters enemy and that they might not seeme led so much by faction as by faith they vrge Dauid with a promise from God The day is come whereof the Lord said vnto thee Behold I will deliuer thine enemy into thine hand and thou shalt do to him as it shall seeme
in the lawfull reformation of a Church 558 Contemplation a discourse of the study of it 341 Contemplation of the creation of the World 809 Of Man 812 Of Paradise 815 Of Cain and Abel 817 Of the Deluge 819 Of Noah 827 Of Babel 829 c. Content an inducement to contentment in want 3 A reason to be so 4 Earth yeelds no contentment 12 How to prouoke a mans selfe to contentation 28 What brings contentment in earthly things 58 Pretty enducements to bee content with our present estates 95 96. None liue so ill but that they content themselues in somewhat 136 Contentation a rare blessing 886 It oft fals out that those times which promise most content proue most dolefull in the issue 993 Contention a right behauiour in contention 10 Contention what it doth 219 Continencie what with its contraries 225 Conuersation of hauing it in the world 603 Conuert of his welcome home 965 Corah his conspiracy 919 Corruption the best thing corrupted is worst 147 Cost the Israelites cost to a calfe shall iudge vs in our want of it for true Religion 901 Councellor and counsell for soule and state 231 What is required in a Councellor ibid. It is sign of a desperate cause when once we seek to make Satan our counsellor 931 Counsell good and ill whereto compared 1145 Countenance dishonesty growes bold when it is countenanced by greatnesse 1138 Courtier sixe qualities of a Courtier 233 Two mischiefes of the Court Flatterie and Trecherie 280 The description of a good faithfull Courtier 331 Couetousnesse hath a great resemblance with Drunkennesse 8 A base thing to get goods onely to keepe them 24 25. The couetous like a spider 55 The couetous character 193 The couetous described 221 The couetous restlesse 933 934 Creation of our contemplation therein 809 The head of our creation is Heauen 811 The wonderfulnesse of it seene in man 813 Creatures how they al fight for God 531 872 c. 929 How obseruant they are to him that made them 949 950 The power of nourishment is not in the creature but in the Maker 996 God would rather haue his creatures perish any way then to serue for the vse of the wicked 1003 There is a speciall prouideÌ„ce in their motion 1049 Creed the confession of the same creed is not sufficient with Rome for peace 637 Credulitie it is the daughter of Folly 1102 Crosses of them 80 of such as arise from conceit and of true and reall crosses 80 81 Remedies of crosses before they come 81 And when they are come 83 against sorrow for worldly crosses 309 Crucifie excellent things of our crucifying Christ a new 431 432 Crueltie it is commonly ioyned with error 564 God will call vs to account for our cruelty against dumbe beasts 935 sudden cruelty stands not with religion 969 Yet sometimes a vertue 996 It is no thanks to themselues that wicked men cannot bee cruell 1003 The mercies of God in turning the cruelty of the wicked to the aduantage of the godly 1004 Insultation in the rigour of Iustice argueth cruelty 1020 Curious A censure of the curious in diet and apparell that are negligent or indifferent in Gods businesse 1110 Curse a causelesse curse whom it hurts 1009 Of Shemei his curse 1231 Custome It shall bee no plea for sinne or errour 38 Custome in sinne will so flesh vs as to deny or forsweare any thing 1009 D DAnger there should wee bend our greatest care where we finde our greatest danger 1193 Dancing allowed described and censured 677 In a case disallowed 1021 Dauid his choice or Election 1076 Called to the Court. 1079 Of him and Goliah 1080 Dauids reproach by his brother 1081 His preparation to the Combate 1084 An excellent vse of it ibid. His deliuerance out at a window 1089 Of Samuels harbouring him 1090 Of Dauid and Abimetech 1091 A notable demonstration of his royaltie 1101 A description of Dauids and his peoples perplexitie 1113 Dauid a type of Christ in his warres ibid. His too much credulitie 1133 Dauid a spectacle of infirmitie 1137 What in warre and what in peace 1137 An expostulation with Dauid about his sinne 1138 Of Dauid and Nathan 1141 His confession 1142 Obseruations of Dauids childs death 1143 Dauid is not more sure of forgiuenesse then of smart 1144 The relation of his particular pay ibid. His cariage in Shemeies curse 1232 His patience drawes on his impudencie 1233 Of his numbring the people 1246 His admirable charity 1249 His honour in welcoming the Prophets 1257 Dauids end 1258 Day That al daies are Gods but some more specially 441 442 Holy dayes how obserued in the Church of England 589 Death It hath three messengers p. 4 The wicked therein hath three terrible spectacles 7 Its desire how lawfull â—5 Mans vnwillingnesse to die 53 To bee vnwilling is signe of being in a bad case 61 Of the importunitie and terrour of death 84 The grounds of the feare of death 85 The remedy of the last and greatest breach of peace arising from death 86 A meditation of death 126 Of that Epicurean resolution Let vs eate and drinke for c. 1 Cor. 15.32 139 140 What resolutenesse doth to death 148 An Epistle against the feare of death 291 Of immoderate mourning for the dead 307 A discourse of due preparation for death and the meanes to sweeten it 317 An effectuall preparation of a murtherer to his death 379 Sweet comforts in the meditation of Christs death 434 A pretty item in mourning for the dead 913 Euery circumstance of our dissolutioÌ„ is determined 939 The difference of a godly and wicked mans death ibid. How God forewarnes vs of death 940 Dead bodies are not lost but laid vp 942 T is iust with God that hee that liues without grace should dye without comfort 1105 Death is not partiall 1116 Deceit Its kinds and iudgements 218 219 The hearts deceit in its faculties and affections largely described 504 c. A pretty description of deceiuing others 506 and of the deuils deceit ibid. Described by its effects 507 Oh the deceit of sinne 1140 Decree It is in vaine to striue against Gods decree when we know it 1057 Delay An argument not to delay our repentance till the last day 63 Delay dangerous 948 Desire A man besotted with euill desires is made fit for any villany 937 Where God sees feruent desire he stayes not for words 977 Despaire Then it no greater wrong to God p. 35 Excellent examples against it 946 To what mad shifts men are driuen to in despaire 1210 Detraction or detractor our behauiour with or against such p. 2 A sweet resolution against detraction 3 Deuill He â—ill we haue sinned is a Parasite but when wee haue sinned he is a Tyrant 1112 Hee is no lesse vigilant then malicious 1103 The dumbe deuill eiected 1285 Sinne giues him possession 1286 There is the deuill most tyrannous where hee is most obeyed 1293 There is no time wherein the deuill is not
in the Spring to the end that my age may bee profitable and laden with ripe fruit I will endeuour that my youth may be studious and flowred with the blossomes of learning and obseruation 55 Reuenge commonly hurts both the offerer and sufferer as we see in the foolish Bee though in all other things commendable yet herein the patterne of fond spightfulnesse which in her anger inuenometh the flesh and loseth her sting and so liues a Drone euer after I account it the onely valour To remit a wrong and will applaud it to my selfe as right Noble and Christian that I Might hurt and Will not 56 He that liues well cannot chuse but die well For if he die suddenly yet he dies not vnpreparedly if by leisure the conscience of his well-lead life makes his death more comfortable But it is seldome seene that he which liueth ill dieth well For the conscience of his former euills his present paine and the expectation and feare of greater so take vp his heart that he cannot seeke God And now it is iust with God not to be sought or not to be found because he sought to him in his life time and was repulsed Whereas therefore there are vsually two maine cares of good men to Liue well and Die well I will haue but this one to Liue well 57 With God there is no free man but his Seruant though in the Gallies no slaue but the sinner though in a Palace none noble but the vertuous if neuer so basely descended none rich but he that possesseth God euen in rags none wise but hee that is a foole to himselfe and the world none happy but he whom the world pities Let mee be free noble rich wise happy to God I passe not what I am to the world 58 When the mouth praieth man heareth when the heart God heareth Euery good praier knocketh at heauen for a blessing but an importunate praier pierceth it though as hard as brasse and makes way for it selfe into the eares of the Almightie And as it ascends lightly vp carried with the wings of faith so it comes euer laden downe againe vpon our heads In my praiers my thoughts shall not be guided by my words but my words shall follow my thoughts 59 If that seruant were condemned of euill that gaue God no more than his owne which he had receiued what shall become of them that rob God of his owne If God gaine a little glorie by me I shall gaine more by him I will labour so to husband the stocke that God hath left in my hands that I may returne my soule better than I receiued it and that he may take it better than I returne it 60 Heauen is compared to an hill and therefore is figured by Olympus among the Heathen by mount Sion in Gods Booke Hell contrariwise to a pit The ascent to the one is hard therefore and the descent to the other easie and headlong and so as if we once beginne to fall the recouerie is most difficult and not one of many staies till hee comes to the bottome I will bee content to pant and blow and sweat in climbing vp to heauen as contrarily I will bee warie of setting the first step downward towards the pit For as there is a Iacobs Ladder into heauen so there are blinde staires that goe winding downe into death whereof each makes way for other From the obiect is raised an ill suggestion suggestion drawes on delight delight consent consent endeuour endeuour practice practice custome custome excuse excuse defence defence obstinacie obstinacie boasting of sinne boasting a reprobate sense I will watch ouer my waies and doe thou Lord watch ouer me that I may auoid the first degrees of sinne And if those ouertake my frailtie yet keepe me that presumptuous sinnes preuaile not ouer me Beginnings are with more ease and safetie declined when we are free than proceedings when we haue begunne 61 It is fitter for youth to learne than teach and for age to teach than learne and yet fitter for an old man to learne than to be ignorant I know I shall neuer know so much that I cannot learne more and I hope I shall neuer liue so long as till I be too old to learne 62 I neuer loued those Salamanders that are neuer well but when they are in the fire of contention I will rather suffer a thousand wrongs than offer one I will suffer an hundred rather than returne one I will suffer many ere I will complaine of one and endeuour to right it by contending I haue euer found that to striue with my superiour is furious with my equall doubtfull with my inferiour sordid and base with any full of vnquietnesse 63 The praise of a good speech standeth in words and matter Matter which is as a faire and well-featur'd body Elegance of words which is as a neat and well-fashioned garment Good matter slubbered vp in rude and carelesse words is made lothsome to the hearer as a good body mis-shapen with vnhandsome clothes Elegancie without soundnes is no better than a nice vanitie Although therefore the most hearers are like Bees that goe all to the flowers neuer regarding the good herbs that are of as wholesome vse as the other of faire shew yet let my speech striue to bee profitable plausible as it happens better the coat be mis-sâ—apen than the body 64 I see that as blacke and white colours to the eies so is the Vice and Vertue of others to the iudgement of men Vice gathers the beames of the sight in one that the eie may see it and bee intent vpon it Vertue scatters them abroad and therefore hardly admits of a perfect apprehension Whence it comes to passe that as iudgement is according to sense wee doe so soone espie and so earnestly censure a man for one vice letting passe many laudable qualities vndiscerned or at least vnacknowledged Yea whereas euery man is once a foole and doth that perhaps in one fit of his folly which hee shall at leisure repent of as Noah in one houres drunkennesse vncouered those secrets which were hid six hundred yeeres before the world is hereupon ready to call in question all his former integritie and to exclude him from the hope of any future amendment Since God hath giuen mee two eies the one shall bee busied about the present fault that I see with a detesting commiseration the other about the commendable qualities of the offender not without an vnpartiall approbation of them So shall I doe God no wrong in robbing him of the glorie of his gifts mixed with infirmities nor yet in the meane time encourage Vice while I doe distinctly reserue for it a due proportion of hatred 65 God is aboue man the brute creatures vnder him hee set in the midst Lest he should be proud that he hath infinite creatures vnder him that One is infinite degrees aboue him I doe therefore owe awe vnto God mercie to the inferiour creatures knowing
contemne it Embrace it when it is within my measure when aboue contemne it So embrace it that I may more humble my selfe vnder it and so contemne it that I may not giue heart to him that offers it nor disgrace him for whom I am contemned 84 Christ raised three dead men to life One newly departed another on the Bere a third smelling in the graue to shew vs that no degree of death is so desperate that it is past helpe My sinnes are many and great yet if they were more they are farre below the mercy of him that hath remitted them and the value of his ransome that hath payed for them A man hurts himselfe most by presumption but we cannot doe God a greater wrong than to despaire of forgiuenesse It is a double iniury to God first that we offend his iustice by sinning then that we wrong his mercy with despairing c. 85 For a man to be weary of the world through miseries that he meets with and for that cause to couet death is neither difficult nor commendable but rather argues a base weaknesse of minde So it may be a cowardly part to contemne the vtmost of all terrible things in a feare of lingering misery but for a man either liuing happily here on earth or resoluing to liue miserably yet to desire his remouall to Heauen doth well become a true Christian courage and argues a noble mixture of patience and faith Of patience for that he can and dare abide to liue sorrowfully of faith for that he is assured of his better Being other-where and therefore prefers the absent ioyes he looks for to those he feeles in present No sorrow shall make me wish my selfe dead that I may not be at all No contentment shall hinder me from wishing my selfe with Christ that I may be happier 86 It was not for nothing that the wise Creator of all things hath placed gold and siluer and all precious minerals vnder our feet to be trod vpon and hath hid them low in the bowels of the earth that they cannot without great labour be either found or gotten whereas he hath placed the noblest part of his creation aboue our heads and that so open to our view that we cannot chuse but euery moment behold them Wherein what did hee else intend but to draw away our mindes from these worthlesse and yet hidden treasures to which he fore-saw wee would be too much addicted and to call them to the contemplation of those better things which beside their beautie are more obuious to vs that in them wee may see and admire the glory of their Maker and withall seeke our owne How doe those men wrong themselues and misconstrue God who as if he had hidden these things because he would haue them sought and laid the other open for neglect bend themselues wholly to the seeking of these earthly commodities and doe no more minde Heauen than if there were none If we could imagine a beast to haue reason how could he be more absurd in his choice How easie is it to obserue that still the higher we goe the more puritie and perfection we finde So earth is the very drosse and dregs of all the elements water somewhat more pure than it yet also more feculent than the aire aboue it the lower aire lesse pure than his vppermost regions and yet these as farre inferior to the lowest heauens which againe are more exceeded by the glorious Empyriall seat of God which is the heauen of the iust Yet these brutish men take vp their rest and place their felicitie in the lowest and worst of all Gods workmanship not regarding that which with it owne glory can make them happy Heauen is the proper place of my soule I will send it vp thither continually in my thoughts whiles it soiournes with me before it goe to dwell there for euer 87 A man need not to care for more knowledge than to know himselfe he needs no more pleasure than to content himselfe no more victory than to ouercome himselfe no more riches than to enioy himselfe What fooles are they that seeke to know all other things are strangers in themselues that seeke altogether to satisfie other mens humors with their owne displeasure that seeke to vanquish Kingdomes and Countries when they are not Masters of themselues that haue no hold of their owne hearts yet seeke to be possessed of all outward commodities Goe home to thy selfe first vaine heart and when thou hast made sure worke there in knowing contenting ouercomming enioying thy selfe spend all the superfluitie of thy time and labour vpon others 88 It was an excellent rule that fell from the Epicure whose name is odious to vs for the father of loosnesse That if a man would be rich honorable aged he should not striue so much to adde to his wealth reputation yeeres as to detract from his desires For certainly in these things which stand most vpon conceit he hath the most that desireth least A poore man that hath little and desires no more is in truth richer than the greatest Monarch that thinketh hee hath not what hee should or what hee might or that grieues there is no more to haue It is not necessitie but ambition that sets mens hearts on the racke If I haue meat drinke apparell I will learne therewith to be content If I had the world full of wealth beside I could enioy no more than I vse the rest could please me no otherwise but by looking on And why can I not thus solace my selfe while it is others 89 An inconstant and wauering minde as it makes a man vnfit for societie for that there can bee no assurance of his words or purposes neither can wee build on them without deceit so besides that it makes a man ridiculous it hinders him from euer attaining any perfection in himselfe for a rolling stone gathers no mosse and the minde while it would bee euery thing proues nothing Oft changes cannot bee without losse Yea it keepes him from enioying that which he hath attained For it keepes him euer in worke building pulling downe selling changing buying commanding forbidding So whiles he can be no other mans friend hee is the least his owne It is the safest course for a mans profit credit and ease to deliberate long to resolue surely hardly to alter not to enter vpon that whose end hee fore-sees not answerable and when hee is once entered not to furcease till he haue attained the end he fore-saw So may he to good purpose beginne a new worke when he hath well finished the old 90 The way to Heauen is like that which Ionathan and his Armour-bearer passed betwixt two rocks one Bozez the other Seneh that is foule and thornie whereto wee must make shift to climbe on our hands and knees but when wee are come vp there is victorie and triumph Gods children haue three sutes of apparell whereof two are worne daily on earth the third laid vp
for them in the Ward-rope of Heauen They are euer either in blacke mourning in red persecuted or in white glorious Any way shall bee pleasant to me that leads vnto such an end It matters not what rags or what colours I weare with men so I may walke with my Sauiour in white and reigne with him in glorie 91 There is nothing more easie than to say Diuinitie by rote and to discourse of spirituall matters from the tongue or pen of others but to heare God speake it to the soule and to feele the power of Religion in our selues and to expresse it out of the truth of experience within is both rare and hard All that wee feele not in the matters of God is but hypocrisie and therefore the more wee professe the more wee sinne It will neuer be well with mee till in these greatest things I bee carelesse of others censures fearefull onely of Gods and my owne till sound experience haue really catechised my heart and made me know God and my Sauiour otherwise than by words I will neuer bee quiet till I can see and feele and taste God my hearing I will account as onely seruing to effect this and my speech onely to expresse it 92 There is no enemie can hurt vs but by our owne hands Satan could not hurt vs if our owne corruption betraied vs not afflictions cannot hurt vs without our owne impatience tentations cannot hurt vs without our owne yeeldance death could not hurt vs without the sting of our owne sinnes sinne could not hurt vs without our owne impenitence how might I defie all things if I could obtaine not to be my owne enemie I loue my selfe too much and yet not enough O God teach me to wish my selfe but so well as thou wishest me and I am safe 93 It grieues me to see all other creatures so officious to their Maker in their kinde that both winds and sea and heauen and earth obey him with all readinesse that each of these heares other and all of them their Creator though to the destruction of themselues and Man onely is rebellious imitating herein the euill spirits who in the receit of a more excellent kinde of reason are yet more peruerse hence it is that the Prophets are oft times faine to turne their speech to the earth void of all sense and life from this liuing earth informed with reason that onely which should make vs more pliable stifneth vs. God could force vs if hee pleased but hee had rather incline vs by gentlenesse I must stoope to his power why doe I not stoope to his will It is a vaine thing to resist his voice whose hand we cannot resist 94 As all naturall bodies are mixt so must all our morall disposition no simple passion doth well If our ioy be not allayed with sorrow it is madnesse and if our sorrow bee not tempered with some mixture of ioy it is hellish and desperate if in these earthly things we hope without all doubt or feare without all hope wee offend on both sides if we labour without all recreation we grow dull and heartlesse if wee sport our selues without all labour wee grow wilde and vnprofitable these compositions are wholsome as for the bodie so for the minde which though it bee not of a compounded substance as the body yet hath much varietie of qualities and affections and those contrarie to each other I care not how simple my heauenly affections are which the more free they are from composition are the neerer to God nor how compounded my earthly which are easily subiect to extremities if ioy come alone I will aske him for his fellow and euermore in spight of him couple him with his contrarie that so while each are enemies to other both may be friends to me 95 Ioy and sorrow are hard to conceale as from the countenance so from the tongue there is so much correspondence betwixt the heart and the tongue that they will moue at once euery man therefore speakes of his owne pleasure and care the Hunter and Falconer of his games the Plough-man of his teame the Souldier of his march and colours If the heart were as full of God the tongue could not refraine to talke of him The rarenesse of Christian communication argues the common pouertie of grace If Christ bee not in our hearts we are godlesse if hee be there without our ioy wee are senselesse if wee reioice in him and speake not of him wee are shamefully vnthankfull euery man taketh yea raiseth occasion to bring in speech of what he liketh As I will thinke of thee alwaies O Lord so it shall be my ioy to speake of thee often and if I finde not opportunitie I will make it 96 When I see my Sauiour hanging in so forlorne a fashion vpon the Crosse his head drouping downe his temples bleeding with thornes his hands and feet with the nailes and side with the speare his enemies round about him mocking at his shame and insulting ouer his impotence how should I thinke any otherwise of him than as himselfe complaineth forsaken of his Father But when againe I turne mine eies and see the Sunne darkened the earth quaking the rocks rent the graues opened the theefe confessing to giue witnesse to his Deitie and when I see so strong a guard of prouidence ouer him that all his malicious enemies are not able so much as to breake one bone of that body which seemed carelesly neglected I cannot but wonder at his glorie and safetie God is euer neere though oft vnseene and if he winke at our distresse he sleepeth not the sense of others must not bee iudges of his presence and care but our faith what care I if the world giue me vp for miserable whiles I am vnder his secret protection O Lord since thou art strong in our weaknesse and present in our senslesnesse giue mee but as much comfort in my sorrow as thou giuest mee securitie and at my worst I shall bee well 97 In sinnes and afflictions our course must bee contrarie wee must beginne to detest the greatest sinne first and descend to the hatred of the least wee must first beginne to suffer small afflictions with patience that we may ascend to the indurance of the greatest Then alone shall I be happy when by this holy method I haue drawne my soule to make conscience of the least euill of sinne and not to shrinke at the greatest euill of affliction 98 Prescription is no plea against the King much lesse can long custome pleade for error against that our supreme Lord to whom a thousand yeeres are but as yesterday yea Time which pleads voluntarily for continuance of things lawfull will take no fee not to speake against an euill vse Hath an ill custome lasted long it is more than time it were abrogated age is an aggrauation to sinne Heresie or abuse if it be gray-headed deserues sharper opposition to say I will doe ill because I haue done so is
One makes a man wise the other good One serues that we may know our dutie the other that we may performe it I will labour in both but I know not in whether more Men cannot practise vnlesse they know and they know in vaine if they practise not 36 There be two things in euery good worke honour and profit The latter God bestowes vpon vs the former he keepes to himselfe The profit of our works redoundeth not to God My weldoing extendeth not to thee The honour of our worke may not be allowed vs. My glorie I will not giue to another I will not abridge God of his part that he may not bereaue me of mine 37 The proud man hath no God the enuious man hath no neighbour the angry man hath not himselfe What can that man haue that wants himselfe What is a man better if he haue himselfe and want all others What is he the neerer if hee haue himselfe and others and yet want God What good is it then to be a man if he be either wrathfull proud or enuious 38 Man that was once the soueraigne Lord of all creatures whom they seruiceably attended at all times is now sent to the very basest of all creatures to learne good qualities Goe to the Pismire c. and see the most contemptible creatures prefer'd before him The Asse knoweth his owner wherein we like the miserable heire of some great Peere whose house is decaied through the treason of our progenitors heare and see what Honours and Lord-ships wee should haue had but now finde our selues below many of the vulgar we haue not so much cause of exaltation that wee are men and not beasts as we haue of humiliation in thinking how much we were once better than we are and that now in many duties we are men inferiour to beasts so as those whom we contemne if they had our reason might more iustly contemne vs and as they are may teach vs by their examples and doe condemne vs by their practice 39 The idle man is the Deuils cushion on which hee taketh his free case who as hee is vncapable of any good so he is fitly disposed for all euill motions The standing water soone stinketh whereas the current euer keepes cleere and cleanly conueying downe all noisome matter that might infect it by the force of his streame If I doe but little good to others by my endeuours yet this is great good to me that by my labour I keepe my selfe from hurt 40 There can be no neerer coniunction in nature than is betwixt the body and the soule yet these two are of so contrarie disposition that as it falls out in an ill-marched man and wife those seruants which the one likes best are most dispraised of the other so here one still takes part against the other in their choice what benefits the one is the hurt of the other The glutting of the body pines the soule and the soule thriues best when the body is pinched Who can wonder that there is such faction amongst others that sees so much in his very selfe True wisdome is to take not with the stronger as the fashion of the world is but with the better following herein not vsurped power but iustice It is not hard to discerne whose the right is whether the seruant should rule or the mistresse I will labour to make and keepe the peace by giuing each part his owne indifferently but if more bee affected with an ambitious contention I will rather beat Hagar out of dores than she shall ouer-rule her mistresse 41 I see Iron first heated red hot in the fire and after beaten and hardened with cold water Thus will I deale with an offending friend first heat him with deserued praise of his vertue and then beat vpon him with reprehension so good nurses when their children are fallen first take them vp and speake them faire chide them afterwards Gentle speech is a good preparatiue for rigor He shall see that I loue him by my approbation and that I loue not his faults by my reproofe If he loue himselfe he will loue those that mislike his vices if he loue not himselfe it matters not whether he loue me 42 The liker we are to God which is the best and onely good the better and happier we must needs be All sinnes make vs vnlike him as being contrary to his perfect holinesse but some shew more direct contrarietie such is enuie For whereas God bringeth good out of euill the enuious man fetcheth euill out of good wherein also his sinne proues a kinde of punishment for whereas to good men euen euill things worke together to their good contrarily to the enuious good things worke together to their euill The euill in any man though neuer so prosperous I will not enuie but pittie The good graces I will not repine at but holily emulate reioicing that they are so good but grieuing that I am no better 43 The couetous man is like a Spider as in this that he doth nothing but lay his nets to catch euery Flie gaping onely for a bootie of gaine so yet more in that whiles hee makes nets for these Flies he consumeth his owne bowels so that which is his life is his death If there be any creature miserable it is he and yet hee is least to be pitied because he makes himselfe miserable such as he is I will acount him and will therefore sweepe downe his webs and hate his poyson 44 In heauen there is all life and no dying in hell is all death and no life In earth there is both liuing and dying which as it is betwixt both so it prepares for both So that he which here below dies to sinne doth after liue in heauen and contrarily hee that liues in sinne vpon earth dies in hell afterwards What if I haue no part of ioy here below but still succession of afflictions The wicked haue no part in heauen and yet they enioy the earth with pleasure I would not change portions with them I reioyce that seeing I cannot haue both yet I haue the better O Lord let me passe both my deaths here vpon earth I care not how I liue or die so I may haue nothing but life to looke for in another world 45 The conceit of proprietie hardens a man against many inconueniences and addeth much to our pleasure The mother abides many vnquiet nights many painfull throes and vnpleasant sauours of her childe vpon this thought It is my owne The indulgent father magnifies that in his owne sonne which he would scarce like in a stranger The want of this to God-ward makes vs so subiect to discontentment and cooleth our delight in him because we thinke of him aloofe as one in whom we are not interessed If we could thinke It is my God that cheereth me with his presence and blessings while I prosper that afflicteth me in loue when I am deiected my Sauiour is at Gods right hand my
I call it the way or the gate of life Sure I am that by it onely wâ— passe into that blessednesse whereof we haue so thought that we haue found it cannot be thought of enough The Description What then is this death but the taking downe of these sticks whereof this earthly Tent is composed The separation of two great and old friends till they meet againe The Gaole-deliuerie of a long prisoner Our iourney into that other world for which wee and this thorow-fare were made Our paiment of our first debt to Nature the sleepe of the body and the awaking of the soule The Diuision But lest thou shouldest seeme to flatter him whose name and face hath euer seemed terrible to others remember that there are more deaths than one If the first death bee not so fearefull as hee is made his horrour lying more in the conceit of the beholder than in his owne aspect surely the second is not made so fearefull as hee is No liuing eye can behold the terrours thereof it is as impossible to see them as to feele them and liue Nothing but a name is common to both The first hath men casualties diseases for his executioners the second Deuils The power of the first is in the graue the second in hell The worst of the first is senslesnesse the easiest of the second is a perpetuall sense of all the paine that can make a man exquisitely miserable The Causes Thou shalt haue no businesse O my soule with the second death Thy first Resurrection hath secured thee Thanke him that hath redeemed thee for thy safetie And how can I thanke thee enough O my Sauiour which hast so mercifully bought off my torment with thy owne and hast drunke off that bitter potion of thy Fathers wrath whereof the very taste had beene our death Yea such is thy mercie O thou Redeemer of men that thou hast not onely subdued the second death but reconciled the first so as thy children taste not at all of the second and finde the first so sweetned to them by thee that they complaine of bitternesse It was not thou O God that madest death our hands are they that were guiltie of this euill Thou sawest all thy worke that it was good we brought forth sinne and sinne brought forth death To the discharge of thy Iustice and Mercie we acknowledge this miserable conception and needs must that childe be vgly that hath such parents Certainly if Being and Good be as they are of an equall extent then the dissolution of our Being must needs in it selfe be euill How ful of darkenesse and horrour then is the priuation of this vitall light especially since thy wisdome intended it to the reuenge of sinne which is no lesse than the violation of an infinite Iustice it was thy iust pleasure to plague vs with this brood of our owne begetting Behold that death which was not till then in the world is now in euery thing one great Conqueror findes it in a Slate another findes it in a Flie one findes it in the kernel of a Grape another in the pricke of a thorne one in the taste of an herbe another in the smell of a flower one in a bit of meat another in a mouthfull of aire one in the very sight of a danger another in the conceit of what might haue beene Nothing in all our life is too little to hide death vnder it There need no cords nor kniues nor swords nor Peeces we haue made our selues as many waies to death as there are helps of liuing But if we were the authors of our death it was thou that didst alter it our disobedience made it and thy mercie made it not to be euill It had beene all one to thee to haue taken away the very Being of death from thine owne but thou thoughtest it best to take away the sting of it onely as good Physicians when they would apply their Leeches scowre them with Salt and Nettles and when their corrupt bloud is voided imploy them to the health of the patient It is more glory to thee that thou hast remoued enmitie from this Esau that now he meets vs with kisses in stead of frownes and if wee receiue a blow from this rough hand yet that very stripe is healing Oh how much more powerfull is thy death than our sinne O my Sauiour how hast thou perfumed and softened this bed of my graue by dying How can it grieue mee to tread in thy steps to glory Our sinne made death our last enemie The Effects thy goodnesse hath made it the first friend that we meet with in our passage to another world For as shee that receiues vs from the knees of our mother in our first entrance to the light washeth cleanseth dresseth vs and presents vs to the brest of our nurse or the armes of our mother challenges some interest in vs when we come to our growth so death which in our passage to that other life is the first that receiues and presents our naked soules to the hands of those Angels which carry it vp to her glorie cannot but thinke this office friendly and meritorious What if this guide leade my carcase through corruption and rottennesse when my soule in the very instant of her separation knowes it selfe happy What if my friends mourne about my bed and coffin when my soule sees the smiling face and louing embracements of him that was dead and is aliue What care I who shuts these earthen eyes when death opens the eye of my soule to see as I am seene What if my name be forgotten of men when I liue aboue with the God of Spirits If death would be still an enemie The Subiect it is the worst part of mee that he hath any thing to doe withall the best is aboue his reach and gaines more than the other can leese The worst peece of the horrour of death is the graue and set aside infidelitie what so great miserie is this That part which is corrupted feeles it not that which is free from corruption feeles an abundant recompence and foresees a ioyfull reparation What is here but a iust restitution We carry heauen and earth wrapt vp in our bosomes each part returnes homeward And if the exceeding glory of heauen cannot countetuaile the dolesomnesse of the graue what doe I beleeuing But if the beautie of that celestiall Sanctuarie doe more than equalize the horrour of the bottomlesse pit how can I shrinke at earth like my selfe when I know my glorie And if examples can moue thee any whit looke behinde thee O my soule and see which of the Worthies of that ancient latter world which of the Patriarchs Kings Prophets Apostles haue not trod in these red steps Where are those millions of generations which haue hitherto peopled the earth How many passing-bels hast thou heard for they knowne friends How many sicke beds hast thou visited How many eies hast thou seene closed
How many vaine men hast thou seene that haue gone into the field to seeke death in hope to finde an honour as foolish as themselues How many poore creatures hast thou mulcted with death for thine owne pleasure And canst thou hope that that God will make a by-way and a Posterne for thee alone that thou maiest passe to the next world not by the gates of death not by the bottome of the graue What then doest thou feare O my soule There are but two stages of death The Adiunct the bed and the graue This latter if it haue senslesnesse yet it hath rest The former if it haue paine yet it hath speedinesse and when it lights vpon a faithfull heart meets with many and strong antidotes of comfort The euill that is euer in motion is not fearefull That which both time and eternitie finde standing where it was is worthy of terrour Well may those tremble at death which finde more distresse within than without whose consciences are more sicke and neerer to death than their bodies It was thy Fathers wrath that did so terrifie thy soule O my Sauiour that it put thy body into a bloudy sweat The mention and thought of thy death ended in a Psalme but this began in an agonie Then didst thou sweat out my feares The power of that agonie doth more comfort all thine than the Angels could comfort thee That very voice deserued an eternall separation of horrour from death where thou saidst My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thou hadst not complained of being left if thou wouldest haue any of thine left destitute of comfort in their parting I know not whom I can feare while I know whom I haue beleeued how can I be discouraged with the sight of my losse when I see so cleere an aduantage The Contrary What discomfort is this to leaue a fraile body to bee ioyned vnto a glorious head To forsake vaine pleasures false honours bootlesse hopes vnsatisfying wealth stormie contentments sinfull men perillous tentations a sea of troubles a gallie of seruitude an euill world and a consuming life for Freedome Rest Happinesse Eternitie And if thou wert sentenced O my soule to liue a thousand yeeres in this body with these infirmities how wouldest thou be wearie not of being only but of complaining Whiles ere the first hundred I should bee a childe ere the second a beast a stone ere the third and therefore should be so farre from finding pleasure in my continuance that I should not haue sense enough left to feele my selfe miserable And when I am once gone what difference is there betwixt the agedst of the first Patriarchs and mee and the childe that did but liue to be borne saue onely in what was and that which was is not And if this body had no weaknesse to make my life tedious yet what a torment is it that while I liue I must sinne Alas my soule euery one of thy knowne sinnes is not a disease but a death What an enemie art thou to thy selfe if thou canst not bee content that one bodily death should excuse thee from many spirituall to cast off thy body that thou maiest be stripped of the ragges yea the fetters of thy sinne and cloathed with the Robes of glorie Yet these termes are too hard Thou shalt not bee cast off O my body rather thou shalt be put to making this change is no lesse happy for thee than for thy partner This very skinne of thine which is now tawnie and wrinkled shall once shine this earth shall bee heauen this dust shall bee glorious These eyes that are now wearie of being witnesses of thy sinnes and miseries shall then neuer be wearie of seeing the beautie of thy Sauiour and thine owne in his These eares that haue beene now tormented with the impious tongues of men shall first heare the voice of the Sonne of God and then the voices of Saints and Angels in their songs of Alleluia And this tongue that now complaines of miseries and feares shall then beare a part in that diuine harmonie The comparisons In the meane time thou shalt but sleepe in this bed of earth hee that hath tried the worst of death hath called it no worse very Heathens haue termed them cousins and it is no vnusuall thing for cousins of bloud to carrie both the same names and features Hast thou wont O my body when the day hath wearied thee to lie downe vnwillingly to thy rest Behold in this sleepe there is more quietnesse more pleasure of visions more certaintie of waking more cheerefulnesse in rising why then art thou loth to thinke of laying off thy ragges and reposing thy selfe Why art thou like a childe vnwilling to goe to bed Hast thou euer seene any bird which when the cage hath beene opened would rather sit still and sing within her grates than flie forth vnto her freedome in the woods Hast thou euer seene any prisoner in loue with his bolts and fetters Did the Chiefe of the Apostles when the Angell of God shined in his Iayle and strooke him on the side and loosed his two chaines and bade him Arise quickly and opened both the woodden and Iron gate say What so soone yet a little sleepe What madnesse had it beene rather to slumber betwixt his two Keepers than to follow the Angell of God into libertie Hast thou euer seene any Mariner that hath saluted the sea with songs and the Hauen with teares What shall I say to this diffidence O my soule that thou art vnwilling to thinke of rest after thy toile of freedome after thy durance of the Hauen after an vnquiet and tempestuous passage How many are there that seeke death and cannot finde it meerely out of the irksomenesse of life Hath it found thee and offered thee better conditions not of immunitie from euils but of possession of more good than thou canst thinke and wouldest thou now flie from happinesse to be rid of it What Is it a name that troubles thee what if men would call sleepe death The Names wouldst thou be afraid to close thine eies what hurt is it then if he that sent the first sleepe vpon man whilest hee made him an helper send this last and soundest sleepe vpon mee whiles he prepares my soule for a glorious Spouse to himselfe It is but a parting which we call death as two friends when they haue lead each other on the way shake hands till they returne from their iourney If either could miscarry there were cause of sorrow now they are more sure of a meeting than of a parture what folly is it not to be content to redeeme the vnspeakable gaine of so deare a friend with a little intermission of enioying him He will returne laden with the riches of heauen and will fetch his old partner to the participation of this glorious wealth Goe then my Soule to this sure and gainefull traffique and leaue my other halfe in an harbour as safe
the present fauour of God we haue many times and feele not The stomacke findes the best digestion euen in sleepe when we least perceiue it and whiles wee are most awake this power worketh in vs either to further strength or disease without our knowledge of what is done within And on the other side that man is most dangerously sicke in whom nature decaies without his feeling without complaint To know our selues happy is good but woe were to vs Christians if we could not be happy and know it not 67 There are none that euer did so much mischiefe to the Church as those that haue beene excellent in wit and learning Others may be spightfull enough but want power to accomplish their malice An enemy that hath both strength and craft is worthy be feared None can sinne against the Holy Ghost but those which haue had former illumination Tell not me what parts a man hath but what grace honest sottishnesse is better than profane eminence 68 The entertainment of all spirituall euents must be with feare or hope but of all earthly extremities must be with contempt or derision For what is terrible is worthy of a Christians contempt what is pleasant to be turned ouer with a scorne The meane requires a meane affection betwixt loue and hatred We may not loue them because of their vanitie we may not hate them because of their necessary vse It is an hard thing to be a wise Oast and to fit our entertainment to all commers which if it be not done the soule is soone wasted either for want of customers or for the misrule of ill ghests 69 God and man build in a contrary order Man laies the foundation first then addes the walls the roofe last God beganne the roofe first spreading out this vault of heauen ere hee laid the Base of the earth Our thoughts must follow the order of his workmanship Heauen must be minded first earth afterward and so much more as it is seene more Our meditation must herein follow our sense A few miles giue bounds to our view of earth whereas we may neere see halfe the heauen at once Hee that thinkes most both of that which is most seene and of that which is not seene at all is happiest 70 I haue euer noted it a true signe of a false heart To be scrupulous and nice in small matters negligent in the maine whereas the good soule is still curious in substantiall points and not carelesse in things of an inferiour nature accounting no duty so small as to be neglected and no care great enough for principall duties not so tything Mint and Cummin that he should forget iustice and iudgement not yet so regarding iudgement and iustice that he should contemne Mint and Cummin He that thus misplaces his conscience will be found either hypocriticall or superstitious 71 It argues the world full of Atheists that those offences which may impeach humane society are entertained with an answerable hatred and rigour those which doe immediately wrong the supreme Maiestie of God are turned ouer with scarce so much as dislike If we conuersed with God as we doe with men his right would be at least as precious to vs as our owne All that conuerse not with God are without God not onely those that are against God but those that are without God are Atheists Wee may be too charitable I feare not to say that these our last times abound with honest Atheists 72 The best thing corrupted is worst An ill man is the worst of all creatures an ill Christian the worst of all men an ill professor the worst of all Christians an ill Minister the worst of all professors 73 Naturally life is before death and death is onely a priuation of life Spiritually it is contrary As Paul saith of the graine so may we of man in the businesse of regeneration He must die before he can liue yet this death presupposes a life that was once and should be God chuses to haue the difficultest first we must be content with the paine of dying ere we feele the comfort of life As we die to nature ere we liue in glory so we must die to sinne ere we can liue to grace 74 Death did not first strike Adam the first sinfull man nor Caine the first hypocrite but Abel the innocent and righteous The first soule that met with death ouercame death the first soule that parted from earth went to heauen Death argues not displeasure because he whom God loued best dies first and the murtherer is punished with liuing 75 The liues of most are mis-spent onely for want of a certaine end of their actions wherein they doe as vnwise Archers shoot away their arrowes they know not at what marke They liue onely out of the present not directing themselues and their proceedings to one vniuersall scope whence they alter vpon all change of occasions and neuer reach any perfection neither can doe other but continue in vncertaintie and end in discomfort Others aime at one certaine marke but a wrong one Some though fewer leuell at the right end but amisse To liue without one maine and common end is idlenesse and folly To liue to a false end is deceit and losse True Christian wisdome both shewes the end and findes the way And as cunning Politikes haue many plots to compasse one and the same designe by a determined succession so the wise Christian failing in the meanes yet still fetcheth about to his steady end with a constant change of endeuours such one onely liues to purpose and at last repents not that hee hath liued 76 The shipwracke of a good conscience is the casting away of all other excellencies It is no rare thing to note the soule of a wilfull sinner stripped of all her graces and by degrees exposed to shame so those whom we haue knowne admired haue falne to be leuell with their fellowes and from thence beneath them to a mediocritie and afterwards to sottishnesse and contempt below the vulgar Since they haue cast away the best it is iust with God to take away the worst and to cast off them in lesser regards which haue reiected him in greater 77 It hath euer beene counted more noble and successefull to set vpon an open enemy in his owne home than to expect till he set vpon vs whiles he make onely a defensiue war This rule serues vs for our last enemy Death whence that old demand of Epicure is easily answered Whether it be better Death should come to vs or that we should meet him in the way meet him in our minds ere he seize vpon our bodies Our cowardlinesse our vnpreparation is his aduantage whereas true boldnesse in confronting him dismaies and weakens his forces Happy is that soule that can send out the scouts of his thoughts before-hand to discouer the power of death a farre off and then can resolutely encounter him at vnawares vpon aduantage such one liues with securitie dies with
I am glad of your sorrow and should weepe for you if you did not thus mourne Your sorrow is that you cannot enough grieue for your sinnes Let me tell you that the Angels themselues sing at this lamentation neither doth the earth afford any so sweet musicke in the cares of God This heauinesse is the way to ioy Worldly sorrow is worthy of pity because it leadeth to death but this deserues nothing but enuy and gratulation If those teares were common hell would not so enlarge it selfe Neuer sinne repented of was punished and neuer any thus mourned and repented not Loe you haue done that which you grieue you haue not done That good God whose act is his will accounts of our will as our deed If he required sorrow proportionable to the hainousnesse of our sins there were no end of mourning Now his mercy regards not so much the measure as the truth of it and accounts vs to haue that which wee complaine to want I neuer knew any truly penitēt which in the depth of his remorse was afraid of sorrowing too much nor any vnrepentant which wisht to sorrow more Yea let me tell you that this sorrow is better and more then that deepe heauinesse for sinne which you desire Many haue been vexed with an extreame remorse for some sinne from the gripes of a galled conscience which yet neuer came where true repentance grew in whom the conscience playes at once the accuser witnesse Iudge tormentor but an earnest griefe for the want of griefe was neuer found in any but a gracious heart You are happy and complaine Tell me I beseech you This sorrow which you mourne to want is it a grace of the spirit of God or not If not why doe you sorrow to want it If it be oh how happy is it to grieue for want of grace The God of all truth and blessednesse hath said Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and with the same breath Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted You say you mourne Christ saith you are blessed you say you mourne Christ saith you shall be comforted Either now distrust your Sauiour or else confesse your happinesse with patience expect his promised consolation What doe you feare You see others stand like strong Oakes vnshaken vnremoued you are but a reed a feeble plant tossed and bowed with euery wind and with much agitation bruised Loe you are in tender and fauourable hands that neuer brake any whom their sinnes bruised neuer bruised any whom temptations haue bowed You are but flax and your best is not a flame but an obscure smoake of grace Loe here his spirit is as a soft wind not as cold water he will kindle will neuer quench you The sorrow you want is his gift Take heed lest while you vex your selfe with dislike of the measure you grudge at the giuer Beggers may not chuse This portion he hath vouchsafed to giue you if you haue any it is more then he was bound to bestow yet you say What no more as if you tooke it vnkindly that hee is no more liberall Euen these holy discontentments are dangerous Desire more so much as you can but repine not when you doe not attaine Desire but so as you be free from impatience free from vnthankfulnesse Those that haue tryed can say how difficult it is to complaine with due reseruation of thankes Neither know I whether is worse To long for good things impatiently or not at all to desire them The fault of your sorrow is rather in your conceit then in it selfe And if indeed you mourne not enough stay but Gods leisure and your eyes shall runne ouer with teares How many doe you see sport with their sinnes yea brag of them How many that should die for want of pastime if they might not sin freely and more freely talke of it What a Saint are you to these that can droop vnder the memory of the frailty of youth and neuer thinke you haue spent enow teares Yet so I encourage you in what you haue as one that perswades you not to desist from suing for more It is good to be couetous of grace and to haue our desires herein enlarged with our receits Weepe still and still desire to weepe but let your teares be as the raine in a sunne-shine comfortable and hopefull and let not your longing sauour of murmur or distrust These teares are reserued this hunger shall be satisfied this sorrow shall bee comforted There is nothing betwixt God and you but time Prescribe not to his wisedome hasten not his mercy His grace is enough for you his glory shall be more then enough To M. HVGH CHOLMLEY EP. V. Concerning the Metaphrase of the Psalmes FEare not my immoderate studies I haue a body that controls me enough in these courses my friends need not There is nothing whereof I could sooner surfet if I durst neglect my body to satisfie my mind But whiles I affect knowledge my weaknesse checkes me and sayes Better a little learning then no health I yeeld and patiently abide my selfe debarred of my chosen felicity The little I can get I am no niggard of neither am I more desirous to gather then willing to impart The full handed are commonly most sparing We vessels that haue any empty roome answer the least knock with a hollow noyse you that are full sound not If we pardon your closenesse you may well bear with our profusiō If there be any wrong it is to our selues that we vtter what wee should lay vp It is a pardonable fault to do lesse good to our selues that wee may doe more to others Amongst other endeauours I haue boldly vndertaken the holy Metres of Dauid how happily iudge you by what you see There is none of all my labours so open to all censures none whereof I would so willingly heare the verdit of the wise and iudicious Perhaps some thinke the verse harsh whose nice eare regards roundnesse more then sense I embrace smoothnesse but affect it not This is the least good quality of a verse that intends any thing but musicall delight Others may blame the difficulty of the tunes whose humour cannot be pleased without a greater offence For to say truth I neuer could see good verse written in the wonted measures I euer thought them most easie and least Poeticall This fault if any will light vpon the negligence of our people which endure not to take paines for any fit variety The French and Dutch haue giuen vs worthy examples of diligence and exquisitnesse in this kind Neither our eares nor voyces are lesse tunable Here is nothing wanting but will to learne What is this but to eate the corne out of the eare because we will not abide the labour to grinde and knead it If the question bee whether our verse must descend to them or they ascend to it wise moderation I thinke would determine it most equall that each part should
tarry in the suburbs Grant that these were as ill as an enemy can make them or can pretend them You are deceiued if you thinke the walles of Babylon stand vpon Ceremonies Substantiall errors are both her foundation and frame These rituall obseruations are not so much as Tile and Reede rather like to some Fane vpon the roofe for ornament more then vse Not parts of the building but not necessarie appeadances If you take them otherwise you wrong the Church if thus and yet depart you wrong it and your selfe As if you would haue perswaded righteous Lot not to stay is Zoar because it was so neere Sodome I feare if you had seene the money-changers in the Temple how euer you would haue prayed or taught there Christ did it not forsaking the place but scourging the offenders And this is the valour of Christian teachers To oppose abuses not to runne away from them Where shall you not thus finde Babylon Would you haue runne from Geneua because of her wafers Or from Corinth for her disordered loue-feasts Either runne out of the world or your flight is in vaine If experience of change teach you not that you shall finde your Babylon euery where returne not Compare the place you haue left with that you haue chosen let not feare of seeming to repent ouer-soone make you partiall Loe there a common harbour of all opinions of all heresies if not a mixture Here you drew in the free and cleare aire of the Gospel without that odious composition of Iudaisme Arrianisme Anabaptisme There you liue in the stench of these and more You are vnworthy of pitie if you will approue your misery Say if you can that the Church of England if shee were not yours is not an heauen to Amsterdam How is it then that our gnats are harder to swallow then their camels and that whiles all Christendome magnifies our happinesse and applauds it your handfull alone so detests our enormities that you despise our graces See whether in this you make not God a loser The thanke of all his fauours is lost because you want more and in the meane time who gaines by this sequestration but Rome and Hell How doe they insult in this aduantage that our mothers owne children condemne her for vncleane that we are dayly weakened by our diuisions that the rude multitude hath so palpable a motiue to distrust vs Sure you intended it not but if you had been their hired Agent you could not haue done our enemies greater seruice The God of heauen open your eyes that you may see the vniustice of that zeale which hath transported you and turne your heart to an endeuour of all Christian satisfaction Otherwise your soules shall finde too late that it had beene a thousand times better to swallow a Ceremonie then to rend a Church yea that euen wheredomes and murders shall abide an easier answer then separation I haue done if onely I haue aduised you of that fearfull threatning of the Wise-man The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the gouernment of his mother the Rauens of the valley shall picke it out and the yong Eagles eate it To Sir ANDREW ASTELEY EP. II. A discourse of our due preparation for death and the meanes to sweeten it to vs. SInce I saw you I saw my father die How boldly and merrily did hee passe thorow the gates of death as if they had no terrour but much pleasure Oh that I could as easily imitate as not forget him We know wee must tread the same way how happy if with the same minde Our life as it giues way to death so must make way for it It will be though we will not it will not bee happy without our will without our preparation It is the best and longest lesson to learne how to die and of surest vse which alone if we take not out it were better not to haue liued Oh vaine studies of men how to walke thorough Rome streets al day in the shade how to square cirles how to salue vp the celestiall motions how to correct mis-written copies to fetch vp old words from forgetfulnesse and a thousand other like points of idle skill whiles the maine care of life and death is neglected There is an Art of this infallible eternall both in truth and vse for though the meanes bee diuers yet the last act is still the same and the disposition of the soule need not be other it is all one whether a feuer bring it or a sword wherein yet after long profession of other sciences I am still why should I shame to confesse a learner and shall be I hope whilest I am yet it shall not repent vs as diligēt schollers repeat their parts vnto each other to be more perfect so mutually to recall some of our rules of well-dying The first whereof is a conscionable life The next a right apprehension of life and death I tread in the beaten path doe you follow me To liue holily is the way to die safely happily If death be terrible yet innocence is bold and will neither feare it selfe nor let vs feare where contrariwise wickednesse is cowardly and cannot abide either any glimpse of light or shew of danger Hope doth not more draw our eyes forward then conscience turnes them backward and forces vs to looke behinde vs affrighting vs euen without past euils Besides the paine of death euery sinne is a new Fury to torment the soule and to make it loth to part How can it chuse when it sees on the one side what euill it hath done on the other vvhat euill it must suffer it vvas a cleare heart what else could doe it that gaue so bold a forehead to that holy Bishop who durst on his death-bed professe I haue so liued as I neither feare to die nor shame to liue What care we when be found if well-doing What care we how suddenly vvhen our preparation is perpetuall What care we how violently vvhen so many inward friends such are our good actions giue vs secret comfort There is no good Steward but is glad of his Audit his straight accounts desire nothing more then a discharge onely the doubtfull and vntrustie feares of his reckoning Neither onely doth the vvant of integritie make vs timorous but of wisedome in that our ignorance cannot equally value either the life which vve leaue or the death vve expect Wee haue long conuersed vvith this life and yet are vnacquainted how should wee then know that death we neuer saw or that life vvhich followes that death These cottages haue been ruinous and wee haue not thought of their fall our way hath beene deepe and we haue not looked for our rest Shew mee euer any man that knew vvhat life vvas and vvas loth to leaue it I vvill shew you a prisoner that would dwell in his Goale a slaue that likes to be chained to his Galley What is there here but darknesse of ignorance discomfort of euents impotency of
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
fire vnquenchable Whether Infidels beleeue these things or no we know them so shall they but too late What remaines but that we applaud our selues in this happinesse and walke on cheerily in this heauenly profession acknowledging that God could not do more for vs and that we cannot doe enough for him Let others boast as your Ladiship might with others of ancient and Noble Houses large patrimonies or dowries honorable commands others of famous names high and enuied honours or the fauours of the greatest others of valour or beauty or some perhaps of eminent learning and wit it shall be our pride that we are Christians To my Lady HONORIA HAY. EP. IV. Discoursing of the necessitie of Baptisme and the estate of those which necessarily want it MADAM MEthinks children are like teeth troublesome both in the breeding and losing and oftentimes painfull while they stand yet such as wee neither would nor can well be without I goe not about to comfort you thus late for your losse I rather congratulate your wise moderation and Christian care of these first spirituall priuiledges desiring onely to satisfie you in what you heard as a witnesse not in what you needed as a mother Children are the blessings of Parents and Baptisme is the blessing of children and parents wherein there is not onely vse but necessitie necessitie not in respect so much of the end as of the precept God hath enioyned it to the comfort of parents and behoofe of children which therefore as it may not be superstitiously hastened so not negligently deferred That the contempt of baptisme damneth is past all doubt but that the constrained absence thereof should send infants to hell is a cruell rashnesse It is not their sinne to die early death is a punishment not an offence an effect of sinne not a cause of torment they want nothing but time which they could not command Because they could not liue a while longer that therefore they should die euerlastingly is the hard sentence of a bloody religion I am onely sorie that so harsh an opinion should bee graced with the name of a Father so reuerend so diuine whose sentence yet let no man plead by halues He who held it vnpossible for a childe to be saued vnlesse the baptismall water were powred on his face held it also as vnpossible for the same Infant vnlesse the sacramentall bread were receiued into his mouth There is the same ground for both the same error in both a weaknesse fit for forgetfulnesse see yet how ignorant or ill-meaning posterity could single out one halfe of the opinion for truth and condemne the other of falshood In spight of whom one part shall easily conuince the other yea without all force since both cannot stand both will fall together for company The same mouth which said Vnlesse yee be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost said also Except yee eat the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his blood an equall necessitie of both And lest any should plead different interpretations the same S. Austin auerres this later opinion also concerning the necessary communicating of children to haue been once the common iudgement of the Church of Rome A sentence so displeasing that you shall finde the memory of it noted vvith a blacke coale and wip't out in that infamous bill of Expurgations Had the ancient Church held this desperate sequele what strange and yet wilfull crueltie had it beene in them to deferre baptisme a whole yeare long till Easter or that Sunday which hath his name I thinke from the white robes of the baptised Yea what an aduenture vvas it in some to adiourne it till their age with Constantine if being vnsure of their life they had been sure the preuention of death would haue inferred damnation Looke vnto that legall Sacrament of circumcision which contrary to the fancies of our Anabaptists directly answers this Euangelicall Before the eight day they could not be circumcised before the eight day they might die If dying the seuenth day they were necessarily condemned either the want of a day is a sinne or God sometimes condemneth not for sinne Neither of them possible neither according with the iustice of the Law-giuer Or if from this parallel you please to looke either to reason or example the case is cleere Reason no man that hath faith can be condemned for Christ dwels in our hearts by faith and hee in whom Christ dwels cannot be a reprobate Now it is possible a man may haue a sauing faith before baptisme Abraham first beleeued to iustification then after receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnes of that faith which he had when he was vncircumcised Therefore some dying before their baptisme may yea must be saued Neither was Abrahams case singular he was the Father of all them also which beleeue not being circumcised these as they are his Sonnes in faith so in righteousnesse so in saluation vncircumcision cannot hinder where faith admitteth These following his steps of beliefe before the Sacrament shall doubtlesse rest in his bosome without the Sacrament without it as fatally absent not as willingly neglected It is not the water but the faith not the putting away the filth of the flesh saith S. Peter but the stipulation of a good conscience for who takes Baptisme without a full faith saith Hierom takes the water takes not the spirit Whence is this so great vertue of the water that it should touch the body and cleanse the heart saith Austin vnlesse by the power of the word not spoken but beleeued Thou seest water saith Ambrose euery water heales not that water onely heales which hath the grace of God annexed And if there bee any grace in the water saith Basil it is not of the nature of the water but of the presence of the Spirit Baptisme is indeed as Saint Ambrose stiles it the pawne and image of our resurrection yea as Basil the power of God to resurrection but as Ignatius expounds this phrase aright beleeuing in his death we are by baptisme made partakers of his resurrection Baptisme therefore without faith cannot saue a man and by faith doth saue him and faith without baptisme where it cannot bee had not where it may be had and is contemned may saue him That spirit which workes by meanes will not be tyed to meanes Examples Cast your eyes vpon that good thiefe good in his death though in his life abominable he was neuer washed in Iordan yet is receiued into Paradise his soule was foule with rapines and iniustice yea bloody with murders and yet being scoured onely with the blood of his Sauior not with water of baptisme it is presented glorious to God I say nothing of the soules of Traian and Falconella meere heathens liuing and dying without Christ without baptisme which yet their honest Legend reports to be deliuered from hell transported to heauen not so much as scorched in Purgatory The one by the prayers of Gregory
of their Teachers be taught to say Let my death be to the remission of all my sinnes and then that he should haue giuen him a boule of mixt wine with a graine of Frankincense to bereaue him both of reason and paine I durst be confident in this latter the rather for that S. Marke calls this draught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Myrrh-wine mingled as is like with other ingredients And Montanus agrees with me in the end Ad stuporem mentis alienationem A fashion which Galatine obserues out of the Sannedrim to bee grounded vpon Prou. 31.6 Giue strong drinke to him that is ready to perish I leaue it modestly in the middest let the learneder iudge Whatsoeuer it were he would not die till he had complained of thirst and in his thirst tasted it Neither would he haue thirsted for or tasted any but this bitter draught that the Scripture might be fulfilled They gaue mee vineger to drinke And loe now Consummatum est All is finished If there be any Iew amongst you that like one of Iohns vnseasonable Disciples shall aske Art thou he or shall we looke for another hee hath his answer Yee men of Israel why stand you gazing and gaping for another Messias In this alone all the Prophesies are finished and of him alone all was prophesied that was finished Pauls old rule holds still To the Iewes a stumbling blocke and that more ancient curse of Dauid Let their table bee made a snare And Steuens two brands sticke still in the flesh of these wretched men One in their necke stiffe-necked the other in their heart vncircumcised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one Obstinacie the other Vnbeleefe stiffe necks indeed that will not stoope and relent with the yoke of sixteene hundred yeeres iudgement and seruilitie vncircumcised hearts the filme of whose vnbeleefe would not be cut off with so infinite conuictions Oh mad and miserable Nation let them shew vs one prophesie that is not fulfilled let them shew vs one other in whom all the prophesies can be fulfilled and we will mix pittie with our hate If they cannot and yet resist their doome is past Those mine enemies that would not haue me to reigne ouer them bring them hither and slay them before me So let thine enemies perish O Lord. But what goe I so far Euen amongst vs to our shame this riotous age hath bred a monstrous generation I pray God I be not now in some of your bosomes Aug ad Hit Dâ—m volunt Iudaei esse Christiani nec Iudae sunt nec Christiani that heare me this day compounded much like to the Turkish religion of one part Christian another Iew a third worldling a fourth Atheist a Christians face a Iewes heart a worldlings life and therefore Atheous in the whole that acknowledge a God and know him not that professe a Christ but doubt of him yea beleeue him not The foole hath said in his heart There is no Christ What shall I say of these men They are worse than deuils that yeelding spirit could say Iesus I know and these miscreants are still in the old tune of that tempting deuill Situ es filius Dei If thou bee the Christ Oh God that after so cleare a Gospell so many miraculous confirmations so many thousand martyrdomes so many glorious victories of truth so many open confessions of Angels men deuils friends enemies such conspirations of heauen and earth such vniuersall contestations of all Ages and people there should be left any sparke of this damnable infidelitie in the false hearts of men Behold then yee despisers and wonder and vanish away Whom haue all the Prophets foretold or what haue the prophesies of so many hundreds yea thousands of yeeres foresaid that is not with this word finished who could foretell these things but the Spirit of God who could accomplish them but the Sonne of God Hee spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets saith Zacharie he hath spoken and he hath done one true God in both none other spirit could foresay these things should be done none other power could doe these things thus fore-shewed this word therefore can fit none but the mouth of God our Sauiour It is finished Wee know whom wee haue beleeued Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Let him that loues not the Lord Iesus be accursed to the death Thus the prophesies are finished Of the legall obseruations with more breuitie Christ is the end of the Law What Law Ceremoniall Morall Of the Morall it was kept perfectly by himselfe satisfied fully for vs Of the Ceremoniall it was referred to him obserued of him fulfilled in him abolisht by him There were nothing more easie than to shew you how all those Iewish Ceremonies lookt at Christ how Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Passeouer the Tabernacle both outer and inner the Temple the Lauer both the Altars the Tables of Shew-bread the Candlesticks the Vaile the Holy of Holies the Arke the Propitiatorie the pot of Manna Aarons Rod the High Priest his Order Line his Habits his Inaugurations his Washings his Anointings his Sprinklings Offerings the sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what-euer Iewish Rite had their vertue from Christ relation to him and their end in him This was then their last gaspe for now straight they died with Christ now the vaile of the Temple rent As Austen well notes out of Matthewes order Ex quo apparet tunc scissiam esse cum Cirillus emisit spiritam It tore then when Christs last breath passed That conceit of Theophilact is wittie that as the Iewes were wont to rend their garments when they heard blasphemie so the Temple not enduring these execrable blasphemies against the Sonne of God tore his vaile in peeces But this is not all the vaile rent is the obligation of the rituall Law canceled the way into the heauenly Sanctuarie opened the shadow giuing roome to the substance in a word it doth that which Christ saith Consummatum est Euen now then the law of Ceremonies died It had a long and solemne buriall Ceremoniae ficut defancta corpora necessariorum efficijs deducenda erant ad sepulturaÌ„ non simulatè sed religiose nec descrenda continuò Augustin Ego è contrario loquaâ— reclamante mundo libâ—râ voce pronunciem ceremonas Iudaeorum perniciâ—saâ— essâ— mortiferas quicunque eas obsâ—ruauâ—râ—t siue ex Iudaeis siuâ— ex Gentibus in barathrum diaboli deuolutum Hier. Quisque is nunc ea celebrare voluerit tanquam sopitos cineres erucus non erit pius c. as Augustine saith well perhaps figured in Moses who died not lingeringly but was thirty dayes mourned for what meanes the Church of Rome to digge them vp now rotten in their graues and that not as they had beeene buried but sowen with a plenteous increase yea with the inuerted vsurie of too many of you Citizens ten for one It is a graue and deepe
sinnes is a thorne and nayle and speare to him while thou powrest downe thy drunken carowses thou giuest thy Sauiour a potion of gall while thou despisest his poore seruants thou spettest on his face while thou puttest on thy proud dresses and liftest vp thy vaine heart with high conceits thou settest a Crowne of thornes on his head while thou wringest and oppressest his poore children thou whippest him and drawest bloud of his hands and feet Thou hypocrite how darest thou offer to receiue the Sacrament of God with that hand which is thus imbrued with the bloud of him whom thou receiuest In euery Ordinary thy prophane tongue walkes in the disgrace of the religious and conscionable Thou makest no scruple of thine owne sinnes and scornest those that doe Not to be wicked is crime enough Heare him that saith Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me Saul strikes at Damascus Christ suffers in Heauen Thou strikest Christ Iesus smarteth and will reuenge These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterings of Christs sufferings In himselfe it is finished in his members it is not till the world bee finished Wee must toile and groane and bleed that we may raigne if he had not done so It had not beene finished This is our warfare this is the region of our sorrow death Now are wee set vpon the sandy pauement of our Theatre and are marched with all sorts of euils euill men euill spirits euill accidents and which is worst our owne euill hearts temptations crosses persecutions sicknesses wants infamies death all these must in our courses bee encountred by the Law of our profession What should we doe but striue and suffer as our Generall hath done that we may raigne as he doth and once triumph in our Consummatum est God and his Angels sit vpon the scaffolds of heauen and behold vs our Crowne is ready our day of deliuerance shall come yea our redemption is neere when all teares shall be wip't from our eyes and we that haue sowne in teares shall reape in ioy In the meane time let vs possesse our soules not in patience only but in comfort let vs adore and magnifie our Sauiour in his sufferings and imitate him in our owne our sorrowes shall haue an end our ioyes shall not our paines shall soone be finished our glory shall be finished but neuer ended Thus his sufferings are finished now together with them mans saluation Who knowes not that man had made himselfe a deepe debter a bankrupt an outlaw to God Our sinnes are our debts and by sinnes death Now in this word and act our sinnes are discharged death endured and therefore we cleared the debt is paid the score is crossed the Creditor satisfied the debters acquitted and since there was no other quarrell saued we are all sicke and that mortally sinne is the disease of the soule Quot vitia tot febres saith Chrysostome so many sinnes so many feuers and those pestilent What wonder is it that we haue so much plague while wee haue so much sinne Our Sauiour is the Physician The whole need not the Physician but the sicke wherein He healeth all our infirmities hee healeth them after a miraculous manner not by giuing vs receits but by taking our receits for vs. A wonderfull Physician a wonderfull course of cure One while he would cure vs by abstinence our superfluitie by his fortie dayes emptinesse according to that old rule Hunger cures the diseases of gluttony Another while by exercise He went vp and downe from Citie to Citie and in the day was preaching in the Temple in the night praying in the mount Then by diet Take eat this is my body and Let this cup passe After that yet by sweat such a sweat as neuer was a bloudy one yet more by incision they pierced his hands feet side and yet againe by potion a bitter potion of vineger and gall And lastly which is both the strangest and strongest receit of all by dying Which died for vs that whether we wake or sleepe 1 Thâ—ff 5.10 we should liue together with him We need no more we can goe no further there can be no more physicke of this kinde there are cordials after these of his Resurrection and Ascension no more penall receits By this bloud wee haue redemption Ephes 1.7 Iustification Rom. 3.24 Reconciliation Colos 1.20 Sanctification 1 Pet. 1.2 Entrance into glory Heb. 10.19 Is it not now finished Woe were vs if he had left but one mite of satisfaction vpon our score to be discharged by our soules and woe be to them that derogate from Christ that they may charge themselues that botch vp these all-sufficiently meritorious sufferings of Christ as imperfect with the superfluities of flesh and bloud Maledictus homo qui spem ponit in homine We may not with patience see Christ wrong'd by his false friends As that heroicall Luther said in the like Maledictum silentium quod hic conninet Cursed be that silence that here forbeareth To be short here be two iniuries intolerable both giue Christ the lie vpon his Crosse It is finished No somewhat remaines the fault is discharged not the punishment Of punishments the eternall is quit not the temporall It is finished by Christ No there wants yet much the satisfaction of Saints applied by this Vicar adde mens sufferings vnto Christs then the treasure is full till then It is not finished Two qualities striue for the first place in these two opinions impiety and absurdity I know not whether to preferre For impiety here is God taxed of iniustice vnmercifulnesse insufficiency falshood Of iniustice that he forgiues a sinne and yet punishes for that which he hath forgiuen vnmercifulnesse that he forgiues not while he forgiues but doth it by halues insufficiency that his ransome must be supplied by men falshood in that hee saith It is finished when it is not For absurdity how grosse and monstrous are these positions that at once the same sinne should be remitted and retained that there should bee a punishment where there is no fault that what could strike off our eternall punishment did not wipe off the temporall that hee which paid our pounds stickes at our farthings that God will retaine what man may discharge that it is and it is not finished If there be any opinions whose mention confutes them these are they None can be more vaine none had more need of solidity for this prop beares vp alone the weight of all those millions of indulgences which Rom. creates and sels to the world That Strumpet would well-neere go naked if this were not These spirituall Treasures fetcht in the Temporall which yet our reuerend and learned Fulke iustly cals a most blasphemous and beggerly principle It brings in whole chests yea mines of gold like the Popes Indies and hath not so much as a ragge of proofe to couer it whether of Antiquitie of Reason of Scripture Not of Antiquity for these Iubily proclamations beganne but
about three hundred yeeres agoe Not of Reason Negotiatores teâ—ae sunt ipsi Sacerdotes qui vendunt orationes missas prodenarijs facientes domum orationis Apotâ—ecam negotiationis In Reue. l. 10. p. 5. how should one meere man pay for another dispense with another to another by another Not of Scripture which hath flatly said The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth vs from all sinne and yet I remember that acute Sadeel hath taught me that this practise is according to Scripture what Scripture Hee cast the money-changers out of the Temple and said Yee haue made my house a denne of theeues Which also Ioachim their propheticall Abbot well applies to this purpose Some modest Doctors of Lonan would faine haue minced this Antichristian blasphemy who began to teach that the passions of the Saints are not so by Indulgences applied that they become true satisfactions but that they only serue to moue God by the sight of them to apply vnto vs Christs satisfaction But these meale-mouth'd Diuines were soone charm'd Bellar. lib. 1. de Indulgent foure seuerall Popes as their Cardinall confesseth fell vpon the necke of them their opinion Leo the tenth Pius the fift Gregory the thirteenth and Clemens the sixt and with their furious Buls bellow out threats against them and tosse them in the aire for Heretickes and teach them vpon paine of a curse to speake home with Bellarmine Passionibus sanctorum expiari delicta and straight Applicari nobis sanctorum passiones ad redimend as poenas quas propeccatis Deo debemus That by the sufferings of Saints our sinnes are expiated and that by them applied wee are redeemed from those punishments which we yet owe to God Blasphemy worthy the tearing of garments How is it finished by Christ if men must supply Oh blessed Sauiour was euery drop of thy bloud enough to redeeme a world and doe we yet need the helpe of men How art thou a perfect Sauiour if our brethren also must be our Redeemers Oh yee blessed Saints how would you abhorre this sacrilegious glorie and with those holy Apostles yea that glorious Angell say Vide ne feceris and with those wise Virgins Lest there will not bee enough for vs and you goe to them that sell and buy for your selues For vs we enuie not their multitude let them haue as many Sauiours as Saints and as many Saints as men wee know with Ambrose Christi passio adiutore non eguit Christs passion needs no helper and therefore with that worthy Martyr dare say None but Christ none but Christ Let our soules die if he cannot saue them let them not feare their death or torment if he haue finished Heare this thou languishing and afflicted soule There is not one of thy sins but it is paid for not one of thy debts in the scroll of God but it is crossed not one farthing of all thine infinite ransome is vnpaid Alas thy sinnes thou sayest are euer before thee and Gods indignation goes still ouer thee and thou goest mourning all the day long and with that patterne of distresse criest out in the bitternes of thy soule I haue sinned what shall I doe to thee O thou preseruer of men What shouldst thou doe Turne and beleeue Now thou art stung in thy conscience with this fiery Serpent looke vp with the eyes of faith to this brazen Serpent Christ Iesus and be healed Behold his head is humbly bowed down in a gracious respect to thee his arms are stretched out louingly to embrace thee yea his precious side is open to receiue thee and his tongue interprets all these to thee for thine endlesse comfort It is finished There is no more accusation iudgment death hel for thee all these are no more to thee than if they were not Who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead I know how ready euery man is to reach forth his hand to this dole of grace and how angry to be beaten from this dore of mercy We are all easily perswaded to hope well because wee loue our selues well Which of all vs in this great congregation takes exceptions to himselfe and thinkes I know there is no want in my Sauiour there is want in me He hath finished but I beleeue not I repent not Euery presumptuous and hard heart so catches at Christ as if he had finisht for all as if he had broken downe the gates of hell and loosed the bands of death and had made forgiuenes as common as life Prosperitas stultorum perdit eos saith wise Salomon Ease slaieth the foolish and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them yea the confidence of prosperity Thou saiest God is mercifull thy Sauiour bounteous his passion absolute all these and yet thou maiest be condemned Mercifull not vniust bountifull not lauish absolutely sufficient for all not effectuall to all Whatsoeuer God is what art thou Here is the doubt Thou saiest well Christ is the good Shepheard Wherein He giues his life but for whom for his sheepe What is this to thee While thou art secure prophane impenitent thou art a Wolfe or a Goat My sheepe heare my voyce what is his voice but his precepts Where is thine obedience to his commandements If thou wilt not heare his Law neuer harken to his Gospell Here is no more mercy for thee than if there were no Sauiour He hath finished for those in whom he hath begunne if thou haue no beginnings of grace as yet hope not for euer finishing of saluation Come to me all ye that are heauy laden saith Christ thou shalt get nothing if thou come when he calls thee not Thou art not called and canst not be refreshed vnlesse thou be laden not with sinne this alone keepes thee away from God but with conscience of sinne A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Is thy heart wounded with thy sinne doth griefe and hatred striue within thee whether shall be more Are the desires of thy soule with God Doest thou long for holinesse complaine of thy imperfections struggle against thy corruptions Thou art the man feare not It is finished That Law which thou wouldest haue kept and couldest not thy Sauiour could and did keepe for thee that saluation which thou couldest neuer worke-out alone alas poore impotent creatures what can we doe towards heauen without him which cannot moue on earth but in him hee alone for thee hath finished Looke vp therefore boldly to the throne of God and vpon the truth of thy repentance and faith know that there is no quarrell against thee in heauen nothing but peace and ioy All is finished He would be spitted on that he might wash thee he would be couered with scornefull robes that thy sinnes might be couered he would bee whipped that thy soule might not be scourged eternally he would thirst that thy soule might be satisfied he would beare all his Fathers wrath that thou mightest beare none he would yeeld to death that
thou mightest neuer taste of it hee would bee in sense for a time as forsaken of his Father that thou mightest be receiued for euer Now bid thy soule returne to her rest and enioyne it Dauids taske Praise the Lord O my soule and What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. And as rauisht from thy selfe with the sweet apprehension of this mercy call all the other creatures to the fellowship of this ioy with that diuine Esay Reioyce O yee heauens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth burst forth into praises yee mountaines for the Lord hath redeemed Iacob and will bee glorified in Israel And euen now begin that heauenly Song which shall neuer end with those glorified Saints Praise and honour and glory and power be to Him that sitteth vpon the Throne and to the Lambe for euermore Thus our speech of Christs last word is finished His last act accompanied his words our speech must follow it Let it not want your deuout and carefull attention He bowed and gaue vp the ghost The Crosse was a slow death and had more paine than speed whence a second violence must dispatch the crucified their bones must be broken that their hearts might breake Our Sauiour stayes not deaths leisure but willingly and couragiously meets him in the way and like a Champion that scornes to be ouercome yea knowes hee cannot be yeeldeth in the middest of his strength that he might by dying vanquish death Hee bowed and gaue vp Not bowing because he had giuen vp but because he would Hee cryed with a loud voyce saith Matthew Nature was strong he might haue liued but he gaue vp the ghost and would die to shew himselfe Lord of life and death Oh wondrous example hee that gaue life to his enemies gaue vp his owne he giues them to liue that persecute and hate him and himselfe will die the whiles for those that hate him Hee bowed and gaue vp not they they might crowne his head they could not bow it they might vex his spirit not take it away they could not doe that without leaue this they could not doe because they had no leaue Hee alone would bow his head and giue vp his ghost I haue power to lay downe my life Man gaue him not his life man could not bereaue it No man takes it from mee Alas who could The High Priests forces when they came against him armed he said but I am he they flee and fall backward How easie a breath disperst his enemies whom hee might as easily haue bidden the earth yea hell to swallow or fire from heauen to deuoure Who commanded the Deuils and they obeyed could not haue beene attached by men he must giue not onely leaue but power to apprehend himselfe else they had not liued to take him hee is laid hold of Peter fights Put vp saith Christ Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and hee will giue me more than twelue Legions of Angels What an Army were here more then threescore and twelue thousand Angels and euery Angell able to subdue a world of men he could but would not be rescued he is led by his owne power not by his enemies and stands now before Pilate like the scorne of men crowned robbed scourged with an Ecce homo Yet thou couldst haue no power against me vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue Behold he himselfe must giue Pilate power against himselfe Quod emittitur voluntarium est quod amâ—â—tur aecessarium Ambr. else he could not be condemned he will be condemned lifted vp nailed yet no death without himselfe Hee shall giue his soule an offering for sinne Esay 53.10 No action that sauours of constraint can be meritorious he would deserue therefore he would suffer and die Hee bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost O gracious and bountifull Sauiour hee might haue kept his soule within his teeth in spight of all the world the weaknesse of God is stronger than men and if he had but spoken the word the heauens and earth should haue vanisht away before him but hee would not Behold when hee saw that impotent man could not take away his soule he gaue it vp and would die that we might liue See here a Sauiour that can contemne his owne life for ours and cares not to be dissolued in himselfe that we might be vnited to his Father Skin for skin saith the Deuill and all that hee hath a man will giue for his life Loe here to proue Sathan a lyer skinne and life and all hath Christ Iesus giuen for vs. Wee are besotted with the earth and make base shifts to liue one with a maimed bodie another with a periured soule a third with a rotten name and how many had rather neglect their soule than their life and will rather renounce and curse God than die It is a shame to tell Many of vs Christians doat vpon life and tremble at death and shew our selues fooles in our excesse of loue cowards in our feare Peter denies Christ thrice and forsweares him Marcellinus twice casts graines of incense into the Idols fire Ecebolius turnes thrice Spira reuolts and despaires Oh let mee liue saith the fearefull soule Whither doest thou reserue thy selfe thou weake and timorous creature or what wouldest thou doe with thy selfe Thou hast not thus learned Christ he died voluntarily for thee thou wilt not be forced to die for him he gaue vp the ghost for thee thou wilt not let others take it from thee for him thou wilt not let him take it for himselfe When I looke backe to the first Christians and compare their zealous contempt of death with our backwardnesse I am at once amazed and ashamed I see there euen women the feebler sex running with their little ones in their armes for the preferment of Martyrdome and ambitiously striuing for the next blow I see holy and tender Virgins chusing rather a sore and shamefull death than honourable Espousals I heare the blessed Martyrs Quod si venire nolucrint ego vim faciam vt dâ—â—orer intreating their tyrants and tormentors for the honour of dying Ignatius amongst the rest fearing lest the beasts will not deuoure him and vowing the first violence to them that he might bee dispatched And what lesse courage was there in our memorable and glorious fore-fathers of the last of this age and doe we their cold and feeble off-spring looke pale at the face of a faire and naturall death abhorre the violent though for Christ Alas how haue we gathered rust with our long peace Our vnwillingnesse is from inconsideration from distrust Looke but vp to Christ Iesus vpon his Crosse and see him bowing his head and breathing out his soule and these feares shall vanish he died and wouldest thou liue hee gaue vp the ghost and wouldest thou keepe it whom wouldest thou follow if not thy
the condition of our mortalitie are passed ouer It shall be fully when the first things of the world are passed Passed not by abolition but by immutation as that Father said well Not the frame of the world but the corruption of that frame must passe The Spirit of God is not curious he cals those things first which were onely former not in respect of the state which is but that which shall be For those things which were first of all were like their Maker good not capable of destruction Our sinnes tainted the whole creation and brought shame vpon all the frame of heauen and earth That which we did shall be disanulled that which God did shall stand for euer and this dissolution shall be our glory other dissolutions strike teares into our eyes as this day is witnesse it is our sorrow that the first things are passed our offices our pensions our hopes our fauours and which we esteemed most our seruices are gone Let this last dissolution comfort vs against the present Who can grieue to see a Familie dissolued that considers the world must bee dissolued This little world of ours first whereof this day giues vs an image for as our seruice so our life must away and then that great one whose dissolution is represented in these The difference is that whereas this dissolution brings teares to some eies that wipes them away from all For all our teares and sorrow and toile and crying and death are for our sinnes take away corruption and misery goes away with it and till then it will neuer be remoued No man puts new wine into old vessels much lesse will God put the new wine of glory into the old vessels of corruption They are our sinnes which as in particular they haue rob'd vs of our Prince changed our seasons swept away thousands with varieties of deaths so in generall they haue deformed the face of heauen and earth and made all the Creation sigh and groane and still make vs incapable of the perfection of our blessednes for while the first things continue there must needs be teares and sorrow and death Let vs therefore looke vpon heauen and earth as goodly creatures but as blemished as transitory as those which we shall once see more glorious Let vs looke vpon our selues with indignation which haue thus distained them and as those which after some terme of their cottage expired are assured they shall haue a marble palace built for them doe long after the time perfixed them and thinke the dayes and moneths pace slowly away till then so let vs earnestly desire the day of the dissolution of this great house of the world that wee may haue our consummation in the new heauen For so soone as euer the old is past Behold saith God I will make all things new Yea the passage of the one is the renewing of the other As the Snake is renewed not by putting on any new coat but by leauing his slough behind him the gold is purified by leauing his drosse in the fire Therefore hee addes not I will but I doe make all new and because this is a great worke behold a great Agent He that sate vpon the Throne said Behold I make all new A Throne signifies Maiestie and sitting permanence or perpetuity God sayes Heauen is my throne in the Psalme but as Salomons throne of iuory and gold was the best piece of his house So Gods throne is the most glorious heauen the heauen of heauens for you see that tho heauen and earth passe away yet Gods throne remain'd still and hee sitting on it neither sinne nor dissolution may reach to the Empyreall heauen the seat of God Here is a state worthy of the King of Kings All the thrones of earthly Monarchs are but pieces of his foot-stoole And as his throne is maiesticall and permanent so is his residence in it Hee sate in the throne S. Stephen saw him standing as it were ready for his defence and protection S. Iohn sees him sitting as our Creed also runnes in regard of his inalterable glory How brittle the thrones of earthly Princes are and how they doe rather stand than sit in them and how slippery they stand too wee feele this day and lament O Lord establish the throne of thy seruant our King and let his seed endure for euer Let his throne be as the Sunne before thee for euermore and as the Moone a faithfull witnesse in heauen But howsoeuer it be with our earthly Gods of his kingdome there is no end Here is a master for Kings whose glory it is to rise vp from their thrones and throw downe their Crownes at his feet and to worship before his foot-stoole Be wise therefore O ye Kings be learned ye Rulers of the earth serue this Lord in feare and reioyce in him with trembling Yea behold here since wee haue the honour to serue him whom Kings serue a royall Master for vs It was one of our sinnes I feare that wee made our Master our God I meane that we made flesh our arme and placed that confidence in him for our earthly stay which we should haue fixed in heauen Our too much hope hath left vs comfortlesse Oh that we could now make God our Master and trust him so much the more as we haue lesse in earth to trust to There is no seruice to the King of heauen for both his throne is euerlasting and vnchangeable and his promotions certaine and honourable He that sits on the throne hath said it To him that ouercomes will I giue to sit with mee in my throne euen as I ouercame and sit with my Father in his throne Behold yee ambitious spirits how yee may truly rise to more than euer the sonnes of Zebedee desired to aspire to seruing is the way to raigning serue him that sits vpon the Throne and ye shall sit yourselues vpon the Throne with him This is the Agent the act is fit for him I make all things new Euen the very Turkes in their Alcoran can subscribe to that of Tertullian Qui potuit facere potest reficere I feare to wrong the holy Maiesty with my rude comparison It is not so much to God to make a world as for vs to speake He spake the word and it was done There is no change which is not from him He makes new Princes new yeeres new gouernments and will make new heauens new earth new inhabitants how easie then is it for him to make new prouisions for vs If wee bee left destitute yet where is our faith Shall God make vs new bodies when they are gone to dust shall he make new heauens and new earth and shall not he whose the earth is and the fulnesse thereof prouide some new meanes and courses of life for vs while we are vpon earth Is the maintenance of one poore worme more than the renewing of heauen and earth Shall he be able to raise vs when we are not and shall he
not without the interuention of a Sauiour To which claime is laid in two kindes either as imputatiue or as inherent The inherent wrought in vs the imputed wrought for vs. How easie were it to leade you through a thicket of distinctions into a large field of controuersie concerning the nature meanes manner of our Iustification No head in all Diuinity yeelds either more or more important Problems In so much as Cardinall De Monte Vice-President for the time of the Councell of Trent in an Oration made by him in the eleuenth session professes that when they meant to dispatch their Decree concerning Iustification in fifteene daies it cost them seuen moneths to finish without one daies intermission and when all is done they haue left the world which was before as Pighius ingenuously intricated by the thorny questions of Schoolemen rather more vnsatisfied and perplexed than they found it It is the maine care of our liues and deaths what shall giue vs peace and acceptation before the dreadfull Tribunall of God What but righteousnesse What righteousnesse or whose Ours or Christs Ours in the inherent graces wrought in vs in the holy works wrought by vs or Christs in his most perfect obedience and meritorious satisfaction wrought for vs applied to vs The Tridentine faction is for the former wee are for the latter God is as direct on our side as his Word can make him Euery where blazoning the defects of our owne righteousnesse the imperfections of our best Graces the deadly nature of our least sinnes the radicall sinfulnesse of our habituall concupiscence the pollution of our best works Euery where extolling the perfect obedience of our Redeemer the gracious application of that obedience the sweet comfort of that application the assurance and vnfailablenesse of that comfort and lastly our happy rest in that assurance I instance not open the Booke see where your eies can looke beside these Satis apertè saith their Cassander The Scripture is cleare ours So is all antiquity if they beleeue that learned Arbiter So are their more ingenuous Doctors of the last age So would they all be if they had grace to know God themselues grace sinne heauen hell God perfectly iust themselues miserably weake Grace sensibly imperfect sinne vnmeasurably sinfull Lastly if they knew that heauen is for none but the pure that hell is for the presumptuous O Sauiour no man is iust through thee but he that is sanctified by thee What is our inherent justice but sanctity That we aspire towards wee attaine not to Woe were vs if we were not more iust in thee than sanctified in our selues wee are sanctified in part according to the weaknesse of our receit we are iustified thorowly according to the perfection of thine acceptation were we fully sanctified here we should be more than men were we not thorowly iustified we should be no more than sinners before thee whiles wee stand before thee as sinners we can haue no peace Let others trust in the Charets and Horses of their owne strength wee will remember the Name of the Lord our God The worke of thy Iustice shall bee our peace Peace is a sweet word Euery body would be glad of it especially Peace at the last as the Psalmist speakes How haue the politickly religious held out twigs for the drowning soule to catch at Due satisfactions vndue supererogations patronages of Saints bargaines of Indulgences woolward pilgrimages and at last after whips and haire-clothes leaue the dying soule to a feare of Hell doubt of Heauen assurance of Purgatory flames How truly may it now say to these Doctors as Iob to his friends Miserable comforters are yee all Hearken O yee deare Christians to a better voice that sounds from heauen Mat. 11.28 Come to mee all yee that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest Is there any of you whose vnquiet brest boiles continually with the conscience of any foule sin whose heart is daily tyr'd vpon by the vultur of his secret guiltinesse whose bosome is gnawed before-hand with that hellish Worme which can no more giue ouer than die It bootes not to aske thee if thou wouldest haue peace Peace Rather than life Oh wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the most high God Micah 6. Shal I come before him with burnt offerings Wil the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes or with tenne thousand Riuers of Oyle Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Heare O thou distracted heart what talkest thou of giuing to the owner The world is his thou art not thine owne Yea were these things thine and not his yet know it is not giuing but taking that must procure thy peace An infinite Iustice is offended an infinite Iustice hath satisfied an infinite mercy hath applied it Take thou hold by the hand of faith on that infinite mercy and justice of thy Sauiour The worke of his Iustice shall be thy peace Fly about whither thou wilt O thou weary Doue thorow all the wide Regions of the heauen waters thou shalt no where finde rest for the soles of thy feet but in this Arke of Christs perfect righteousnesse In vaine shalt thou seeke it in schooles of morality in learned Libraries in spacious fields and forrests in pleasant gardens in sullen retirednesse in witty conuersation in wanton Theaters in drunken cellers in tables of gluttony in beds of iust chests of Mammon whiffes and draughts of intoxication songs of ribaldry sports of recreation No no the more thou seekest it in most of these the further it flies from thee the further thou art from finding it and if these things may giue some poore truce to thy thoughts it shall soone end in a more direfull warre There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Stray whither thou wilt O thou wounded heart thorow the Lawnds and Woods alas the shaft sticks still in thee or if that bee shaken out the head None but the soueraigne Dittany of thy Sauiours righteousnes can driue it out and till it be out thou canst haue no peace In plaine termes wouldst thou haue peace None but Christ can giue it thee He will giue it to none but the penitent none but the faithfull Oh spend thy selfe into the sighes and teares of true repentance and then raise thy humbled soule to a liuely confidence in thine all-sufficient Redeemer Set thy Lord Iesus betwixt God and thy sins God cannot see thy debt but through thine acquitance By his stripes we are healed by his wounds we are stanched by his death we are quickned by his righteousnesse we are discharged The worke of his righteousnesse is our peace Oh safe and blessed condition of beleeuers Let sinne Satan world death hel doe their worst Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ that died yea rather that
there should bee granted by Iohn 22. a Pardon for no lesse than a million of yeeres Who can endure since by their owne confession this fire must last but till the conflagration of the world that yet in one little Booke there should be tendred vnto credulous poore soules Pardons of but eleuen thousand thousands of yeeres What should we make many words of this There is now lying by me a worme-eaten Manu-script with faire Rubrickes in which besides other absurd and blasphemous promises there is power giuen to one little prayer to change the paines of hell due perhaps to him that sayes it into Purgatory and after that againe the paines of Purgatory into the ioyes of Heauen Lib. de Indulg Bellarmine had wisely respected his owne reputation if hee had giuen his voice according to that which he confesseth to haue beene the iudgement of some others That these like Bills were not giuen by the Popes but lewdly deuised by some of his base Questuaries for an aduantage But that which he should excuse hee defends What ingenuity of shame is to be expected of Iesuites and how cleane hath an old Parrot as he said of old forgotten the wand Who may abide this vniust and inhumane acceptation of persons that the wealthier sort may by their purses redeeme this holy treasure of the Church and by money deliuer the soules of themselues and their friends from this horrible Prison while the needy Soule must be stall frying in this flame without all hope of pardon or mature relaxation vntill the very last Iudgement day Lastly who can endure that whiles it is in the power of Christs Vicar to call miserable soules out of this tormenting fire which hell it selfe is said to exceed onely in the continuance yet that he should suffer them to lie howling there and most cruelly broyling still and not mercifully bestow on them all the heapes of his treasure as the spirituall ransome of so many distressed spirits Ambr. de Nabâ—th A wretched man is he as Ambrose said of the rich man which hath the power to deliuer so many soules from death and wants the will Why hath God giuen him this faculty of Indulgences if hee would not haue it beneficiall to Mankinde Auth. operis imperfect and where the Owner of the house will bee bountifull it is not for the Steward to bee niggardly Let that Circè of Rome keepe these huskes for her hogges SECTION XIII Concerning the distinction of Veniall and Mortall sinnes PArdons doe both imply and presuppose that knowne distinction of Mortall and Veniall sinne which neither hath God euer allowed neither whiles he gaine-sayes it will euer the Protestants That there are certaine degrees of euill we both acknowledge and teach so as we may here iustly tax the dishonesty and shamelesnesse of Campion Durcus Coccius and the Monkes of Burdeaux who haue vpbraided vs with the opinion of a certaine Stoicall and Iouinianish parity of sinnes yea Bellarmine himselfe hath already done this kinde office for vs. Some offences are more hainous than other yet all in the malignitie of their nature deadly As of poysons some kill more gently and lingringly others more violently and speedily yet both kill Moreouer if wee haue respect vnto the infinite mercy of God and to the obiect of this mercy the penitent and faithfull heart there is no sinne which to borrow the word of Prudentius is not veniall but in respect of the Anomy or disorder there is no sinne which is not worthy of eternall death Euery sinne is a Viper there is no Viper if we regard the nature of the best but kils whom she bites but if one of them shall haply light vpon the hand of Paul she is shaked into the fire without harme done Let no man feare that harmefull creature euer the lesse because he sees the Apostle safe from that poyson So is sinne to a faithfull man Saint Iohns word is All sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 Rom. 6. Saint Pauls word is The wages of sinne is death Put these two together and this conceit of the naturall pardon ablenesse of sin vanishes alone Our Rhemists subtill men can no more abide this proposition conuerted than themselues All sinne indeed say they is anomia a transgression of the Law but euery transgression of the Law is not sinne The Apostle therefore himselfe turnes it for vs All vnrighteousnesse saith he is sin But euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vnrighteousnesse saith Austen vpon the place For the Law is the rule of righteousnesse therefore the preuarication of the Law is vnrighteousnesse Yea their very owne word shall stop their owne mouth for how is sinne vniuocally distinguished into Veniall and Mortall if the Veniall be no sinne and the wages of euery sinne is death That therefore which the Papists presume to say that this kinde of sinne deserues pardon in it selfe vnlesse they will take the word merit catachrestically with Stapleton And that which Bellarmine and Nauarus adde that Veniall sinnes are not against but beside the Law and lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Fr. à Vict. summa sacr Poenitentiae nu 100. p. 63. That which Franciscus à Victoria writes that a Bishops blessing or a Lords Prayer or a knocke on the breast or a little holy water or any such like slight receipt without any other good motion of the heart is sufficient to remit Veniall sinne is so shamefully abhorring from all piety and iustice that these open bands both of nature and sinne must be eternally defied of vs. It is an old and as true a ride Decr. 23.4.4 est iniusta c. Petr. Alagâ—â—nae Comp. Manual Nauarri p. 91. p. 267. p. 140. p. 191. p. 352. p. 100. Socr. l. 5.21 â—asinesse of pardon giues incouragement to sinne And beside what maner of sinnes doe they put in the ranke of Venials Drunkennesse adultery angry curses or blasphemies couetousnesse yea stealing lying cursing of parents horrible offences shroud themselues with them vnder this plausible title of veniall He must needs be shamelesly wicked that abhorres not this licentiousnesse Surely Socrates the Historian prophecied I thinke of these men There are some saith he that let goe whoredome as an indifferent matter which yet striue for an holy-day as for their life The ordinarie and not slight Controuersie as Cassander thinketh of the name nature condition punishment of the first sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originall as Chrysostome calls it I willingly omit Neither doe I meddle with their Euangelicall perfection of vowes nor the dangerous seruitude of their rash and impotent Votaries nor the incoueniences of their Monkerie which yet are so great and many that the elect Cardinals of Paul the third doubted not with ioynt consent to affirme All the Orders of Couents we thinke fit to be abolished but for the condition of that single and solitary life let that be done which Cassander and
vel nasciturus Nec ipsi etiam virgines essent quia nati non essent Ex foecunditate enim illorum orta est istorum virginitas Magnum igitur bonum est foecunditas de qua sancta praecessit virginitas Quia autem virgines esse debeant qui nuptiarum fructus facientes docet cos verbum quod Deus seminat in cordibus illorum In aliorum enim cordibus seminat verbum bonae foecunditatis nuptiarum fructum facientis in aliorum vero cordibus seminat verbum virginitatis * * Deest opinor pars clausula Illi ergo in quibus seminat verbum virginitatis c. ipsi virginitatem seruare desiderant In quibus vero verbum nuptiarum seminat ipsi facere nuptiarum fructum appetunt WHICH FOR MY COVNTRYMENS SAKE I haue thus Englished I Would faine know who it was that first ordained that Christian Priests might not marry God or Man For if it were God surely his determination is to bee held and obserued with all veneration and reuerence But if it were Man and not God and this Tradition came out of the heart of Man not out of the Mouth of God then neither is saluation got by it if it be obserued nor lost if it be not obserued For it doth not belong to Man either to saue or destroy any man for his merits but it is proper only vnto God That God hath ordained this it it neither found written in the Old Testament nor in the Gospell nor in the Epistles of the Apostles in all which is set down whatsoeuer God hath inioyned vnto men It is therefore a Tradition of Man and not an institution of God nor of his Apostles As the Apostle instituted rather that a Bishop should be the Husband of one Wife which he would neuer haue appointed if it had beene adulterie for a Bishop to haue at once a Wife and a Church as it were two Wiues like as some affirme Now that which hath not authority from the holy Scriptures is with the same facility contemned that it is spoken For the holy Church is not the Wife not the Spouse of the Priest but of Christ as S. Iohn saith He that hath the Bride he is the Bridegroome Of this Bridegroome I say is the Church the Spouse and yet it is lawfull euen for this Spouse in part to marry by Apostolique Tradition For the Apostle speakes thus to the Corinthians because of fornications let euery man haue his owne Wife And I would that all men were as I am but euery man hath his proper gift of God one thus another otherwise For all men haue not one gift namely of Virginity and Continency but some are virgins and containe others containe not to whom he granteth mariage lest Sathan tempt them through their incontinency and they should miscary in the ruine of their vncleannesse So also of Priests some are continent others are incontinent and those which are continent haue receiued the gift of their continence from God without whose Gift and Grace they cannot be continent But those which are incontinent haue not receiued this gift of grace but whether by the intemperance of their humour or the weaknesse of their mind run out into fleshly desires which they would in no wise doe if they had receiued from God the Grace and Vertue of Continence For they also which are deliuered by the Grace of God from the body of this death feele another Law in their members rebelling against the Law of their minde and captiuating them to the Law of sin and compelling them to doe that which they would not This Law therefore holding them captiue and this Concupiscence of the flesh prouoking them they are compelled either to fornicate or mary whereof whether is the better we are taught by the authority of the Apostle who tels vs it is better to marry then to burne Surely that which is the better is to be chosen and held now it is better to marry because it is worse to burne and because it is better to marry then to burne it is conuenient for those which containe not to marry not to burne For mariage is good as August speaks in his booke super Genesin ad Literam in it is commended the good of nature whereby the prauity of incontinence is ruled and the fruitfulnesse of Nature graced For the weaknesse of either Sexe declining towards the ruine of filthinesse is well relieued by honesty of mariage so as the same thing which may be the office of the found is also the remedie vnto the sicke Neither yet because incontinence is euill is therefore Mariage euen that wherewith the Incontinent are ioyned to be reputed not good yea rather not for that euill is the good faulty but for this good is that euill pardonable since that good which mariage hath yea which mariage is can neuer be sin Now this good is three fold the Fidelity the Fruit the Sacrament of that estate In the Fidelity is regarded That besides this bond of Mariage there be not carnall society with any other In the Fruit of it That it be louingly raised and religiously bred In the Sacrament of it That the mariage be not separated and that the dismissed party of either Sexe be not ioyned to any other no not for issues sake This is as it were the Rule of Mariage whereby the fruitfulnesse of Nature is graced or the prauity of Incontinence ruled And this Rule of Mariage and this three-fold good the eternall Truth hath appointed in the order of his Decree and that eternall Law of his against which whatsoeuer is done spoken or willed is sinne which Augustine in his booke against Faustus the Manichee witnesseth saying Sin is either Deed Word or desire against the Law Eternall This Eternall Law is the diuine Will or Decree forbidding the disturbance and commanding the preseruation of due naturall order whatsoeuer therefore commands naturall Order to be disturbed forbids it to be conserued prohibits men to vse Mariage and to attaine to the threefold good thereof Fidelitie Issue Sacrament and commands them to breake that Rule of Eternall Truth whereby the fruitfulnesse of Nature is graced or the prauity of Incontinency is ruled commands men to abhorre those things whereby naturall Order is held and maintained This Commandement I say forbids naturall Order to bee obserued commands it to bee disturbed and therefore is against the Law of God and by consequence is sinne For they sinne that ordaine such a command by which naturall Order is destroyed These men doe not it seemes beleeue that of the children of Priests God takes for the building of his City aboue and for the restoring of the number of Angels For if they did beleeue it they would neuer ordaine such a Mandare because they should wittingly and ouer rashly goe about to effect that the supernall City should neuer be perfited and the number of Angels neuer repayred For if the supernall City be to be
Cain the death of one Abel The same Deuill that set enmitie betwixt Man and God sets enmity betwixt Man and Man and yet God said I will put enmitie betweene thy seed and her seed Our hatred of the Serpent and his seed is from God Their hatred of the holy Seed is from the Serpent Behold here at once in one person the Seed of the Woman and of the Serpent Cains naturall parts are of the Woman his vitious qualities of the Serpent The Woman gaue him to be a brother the Serpent to be a man-slayer all vncharitablenesse all quarrels are of one Author we cannot entertaine Wrath and not giue place to the Deuill Certainely so deadly an act must needs be deeply grounded What then was the occasion of this capitall malice Abels sacrifice is accepted what was this to Cain Cains is reiected what could Abel remedie this Oh enuie the corrosiue of all ill minds and the roote of all desperate actions the same cause that moued Satan to tempt the first Man to destroy himselfe and his posteritie the same moues the second Man to destroy the third It should haue beene Cains ioy to see his brother accepted It should haue beene his sorrow to see that himselfe had deserued a reiection his Brothers example should haue excited and directed him Could Abel haue stayed Gods fire from descending Or should he if he could reiect Gods acceptation and displease his Maker to content a Brother Was Cain euer the farther from a blessing because his Brother obtained mercy How proud and foolish is malice which growes thus mad for no other cause but because God or Abel is not lesse good It hath beene an old and happy danger to be holy Indifferent actions must be carefull to auoid offence But I care not what Deuill or what Cain be angry that I doe good or receiue good There was neuer any nature without enuie Euery man is borne a Cain hating that goodnesse in another which he neglected in himselfe There was neuer enuy that was not bloody for if it eate not an others heart it will eat our owne but vnlesse it be restrained it will surely feed it selfe with the blood of others oft-times in act alwaies in affection And that God which in good accepts the will for the deed condemnes the will for the deed in euill If there be an euill heart there will bee an euill eye and if both these there will be an euill hand How early did Martyrdome come into the world the first man that dyed dyed for Religion who dare measure Gods loue by outward euents when hee sees wicked Cain standing ouer bleeding Abel whose sacrifice was first accepted and now himselfe is sacrificed Death was denounced to Man as a curse yet behold it first lights vpon a Saint how soone was it altered by the mercy of that iust hand which inflicted it If Death had beene euill and Life good Cain had beene slaine and Abel had suruiued now that it begins with him that God loues O Death where is thy sting Abel sayes nothing his blood cryes Euery drop of innocent blood hath a tongue and is not onely vocall but importunate what a noyse then did the blood of my Sauiour make in Heauen who was himselfe the Shepheard and the Sacrifice the Man that was offered and the God to whom it was offered The Spirit that heard both sayes It spake better things thâ—n the blood of Abel Abels blood called for reuenge his for mercy Abels pleaded his owne innocency his the satisfaction for all the beleeuing world Abels procured Cains punishment his freed all repentant soules from punishment better things indeed then the blood of Abel Better and therefore that which Abels blood said was good It is good that God should be auenged of sinners Execution of iustice vpon offenders is no lesse good then rewards of goodnesse No sooner doth Abels blood speake vnto God then God speakes to Cain There is no wicked man to whom God speakes not if not to his eare yet to his heart what speech was this Not an accusation but an inquirie yet such an inquirie as would inferre an accusation God loues to haue a sinner accuse himselfe and therefore hath he set his Deputie in the brest of man neither doth God loue this more then nature abhorres it Cain answers stubbornly The very name of Abel wounds him no lesse then his hand had wounded Abel Consciences that are without remorse are not without horror wickednesse makes men desperate the Murderer is angry with God as of late for accepting his brothers oblation so now for listning to his blood And now he dares answer God with a question Am I my brothers Keeper where be should haue said Am not I my brothers murderer Behold hee scorneth to keepe whom he feared not to kill Good duties are base and troublesome to wicked minds whiles euen violences of euill are pleasant Yet this miscreant which neither had grace to auoyd his sinne nor to confesse it now that he is conuinced of sinne and cursed for it how he howleth how he exclaimeth He that cares not for the act of his sinne shall care for the smart of his punishment The damned are weary of their torments but in vaine How great a madnesse is it to complaine too late He that would not keepe his brother is cast out from the protection of God he that feared not to kill his brother feares now that whosoeuer meets him will â—ill him The troubled conscience proiecteth fearefull things and sinne makes euen cruell men cowardly God saâ— it was too much fauour for him to die he therefore wills that which Cain wills Cain would liue It is yeelded him but for a curse how often doth God heare sinners in anger He shall liue banished from God carying his hell in his bosome and the brand of Gods vengeance in his forehead God reiects him the Earth repines at him men abhorre him himselfe now wishes that death which he feared and no man dare pleasure him with a murder how bitter is the end of sin yea without end still Cain finds that he killed himselfe more then his brother We should neuer sinne if our fore-sight were but as good as our sense The issue of sinne would appeare a thousand times more horrible then the act is pleasant Of the Deluge THE World was growne so foule with sinne that God saw it was time to wash it with a Floud And so close did wickednes cleaue to the Authors of it that when they were washt to nothing yet it would not off yea so deep did it stick in the very graine of the earth that God saw it meet to let it soke long vnder the waters So vnder the Law the very vessels that had touched vncleane water must either be rinced or broken Mankind began but with one and yet he that saw the first man liued to see the Earth peopled with a world of men yet men grew not so fast as wickednesse One man could
wood which now before-hand burnt inwardly with the heauenly fire of zeale and deuotion And now hauing kissed him his last not without mutuall teares he lifts vp his hand to fetch the stroke of death at once not so much as thinking perhaps God wil relent after the first wound Now the stay of Abraham the hope of the Church lyes on bleeding vnder the hand of a father what bowels can choose but yearne at this spectacle which of the sauagest Heathens that had bin now vpon the hill of Moriah and had seen through the bushes the sword of a Father hanging ouer the throat of such a sonne would not haue been more perplexed in his thoughts then that vnexpected sacrifice was in those briers yet he whom it neerest concerned is least touched Faith hath wrought the same in him which crueltie would in others Not to be moued He contemnes all feares and ouerlookes all impossibilities His heart tels him that the same hand which raised Isaac from the dead wombe of Sarah can raise him againe from the ashes of his sacrifice with this confidence was the hand of Abraham now falling vpon the throat of Isaac who had giuen himselfe for dead and reioyced in the change when suddenly the Angell of God interrupts him forbids him commends him The voice of God was neuer so welcome neuer so sweet neuer so seasonable as now It was the tryall that God intended not the fact Isaac is sacrificed and is yet aliue and now both of them are more happy in that they would haue done then they could haue been distressed if they had done it Gods charges are oft-times harsh in the beginnings and proceeding but in the conclusion alwayes comfortable true spirituall comforts are commonly late and sudden God defers on purpose that our tryals may be perfect our deliuerance welcome our recompence glorious Isaac had neuer been so precious to his father if he had not been recouered from death if he had not been as miraculously restored as giuen Abraham had neuer beene so blessed in his seed if he had not neglected Isaac for God The only way to finde comfort in any earthly thing is to surrender it in a faithfull carelesnesse into the hands of God Abraham came to sacrifice he may not go away with dry hands God cannot abide that good purposes should be frustrate Lest either he should not doe that for which hee came or should want meanes of speedy thanksgiuing for so gracious a disappointment Behold a Ram stands ready for the sacrifice and as it were proffers himselfe to this happy exchange Hee that made that Beast brings him thither fastens him there Euen in small things there is a great prouidence what mysteries there are in euery act of God! The onely Sonne of God vpon this very hill is laid vpon the Altar of the Crosse and so becomes a true sacrifice for the world that yet he is raised without impeachment and exempted from the power of death The Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the World is here really offred and accepted One Sauiour in two figures in the one dying restored in the other So Abraham whiles he exercises his faith confirmes it and reioyces more to foresee the true Isaac in that place offered to death for his sinnes then to see the carnall Isaac preserued from death for the reward of his Faith Whatsoeuer is dearest to vs vpon earth is our Isaac happy are we if we can sacrifice it to God those shall neuer rest with Abraham that cannot sacrifice with Abraham Of LOT and Sodom BEFORE Abraham and Lot grew rich they dwelt together now their wealth separates them Their societie was a greater good then their riches Many a one is a loser by his wealth who would account those things good which make vs worse It had been the duty of yong Lot to offer rather then to choose to yeeld rather then contend who vvould not here thinke Abraham the Nephew and Lot the Vncle It is no disparagement for greater persons to begin treaties of Peace Better doth it beseeme euery sonne of Abraham to winne vvith loue then to sway with power Abraham yeelds ouer this right of his choise Lot takes it And behold Lot is crossed in that vvhich he chose Abraham is blessed in that which vvas left him God neuer suffers any man to leese by an humble remission of his right in a desire of peace Wealth hath made Lot not only vndutifull but couetous he sees the goodly Plaines of Iordan the richnesse of the soyle the commoditie of the Riuers the situation of the Cities and now not once inquiring into the conditions of the Inhabitants hee is in loue with Sodom Outward appearances are deceitfull guides to our iudgement or affections they are worthy to be deceiued that value things as they seeme It is not long after that Lot payes deare for his rashnesse He fled for quietnesse with his Vncle and finds Warre with strangers Now is he caried prisoner with all his substance by great Enemies Abraham must rescue him of whom hee was forsaken That vvealth which was the cause of his former quarrels is made a prey to mercilesse Heathens That place which his eye couetously chose betrayes his life and goods How many Christians whiles they haue looked at gaine haue lost themselues Yet this ill successe hath neither driuen out Lot nor amended Sodom hee still loues his commoditie and the Sodomites their sinnes wicked men grow worse with afflictions as vvater growes more cold after an heat And as they leaue not sinning so God leaues not plaguing them but still followes them with succession of iudgements In how few yeares hath Sodom forgot she vvas spoiled and led captiue If that wicked Citie had been warned by the sword it had escaped the fire but now this visitation hath not made ten good men in those fiue Cities How fit was this heape for the fire which vvas all chaffe Onely Lot vexed his righteous soule with the sight of their vncleannesse Hee vexed his owne soule for who bade him stay there yet because he was vexed he is deliuered He escapeth their iudgement from whose sinnes he escaped Though he would be a ghest of Sodom yet because hee would not entertaine their sinnes he becomes an Host to the Angels Euen the good Angels are the executioners of Gods iudgement There cannot be a better or more noble act then to doe iustice vpon obstinate Malefactors Who can be ashamed of that which did not mis-beseeme the very Angels of God Where should the Angels lodge but with Lot the houses of holy men are full of these heauenly Spirits vvhen they know not they pitch their Tents in ours and visit vs when we see not and when we feele not protect vs It is the honour of Gods Saints to be attended by Angels The filthy Sodomites now flocke together stirred vp with the fury of enuy and lust and dare require to doe that in troops which to act single
How iniurious were that affection to keepe his sonne so long in his eye till they should see each other dye for hunger The ten brothers returne into Egypt loaded with double money in their sacks and a present in their hands the danger of mistaking is requited by honest minds with more then restitution It is not enough to finde our owne hearts cleare in suspicious actions except we satisfie others Now hath Ioseph what he would the sight and presence of his Beniamin whom he therefore borrowes of his Father for a time that hee might returne him with a greater interest of ioy And now he feasts them whom hee formerly threatned and turnes their feare into wonder all vnequall loue is not partiall all the brethren are entertained bountifully but Beniamin hath a fiue-fold portion By how much his welcome was greater by so much his pretended theft seemed more hainous for good turnes aggrauate vnkindnesses and our offences are encreased with our obligations How easie is it to find aduantages where there is a purpose to accuse Beniamins sacke makes him guilty of that whereof his heart was free Crimes seeme strange to the innocent well might they abiure this fact with the offer of bondage and death For they which carefully brought againe that which they might haue taken would neuer take that which was not giuen them But thus Ioseph would yet daily with his brethren and make Beniamin a thiefe that he might make him a seruant and fright his brethren with the perill of that their charge that he might double their ioy and amazednesse in giuing them two brothers at once our happinesse is greater and sweeter when we haue well feared and smarted with euils But now when Iudah seriously reported the danger of his old Father and the sadnesse of his last complaint compassion and ioy will be concealed no longer but breake forth violently at his voice and eyes Many passions doe not well abide witnesses because they are guilty to their owne weaknesse Ioseph sends forth his seruants that he might freely weepe He knew hee could not say I am Ioseph without an vnbeseeming vehemence Neuer any word sounded so strangely as this in the eares of the Patriarkes Wonder doubt reuerence ioy feare hope guiltinesse strooke them at once It was time for Ioseph to say Feare not No maruell if they stood with palenesse and silence before him looking on him and on each other the more they considered they wondred more and the more they beleeued the more they feared For those words I am Ioseph seemed to sound thus much to their guilty thoughts You are murtherers and I am a Prince in spight of you My power and this place giue mee all opportunities of reuenge My glory is your shame my life your danger your sinne liues together vvith me But now the teares and gracious words of Ioseph haue soone assured them of pardon and loue and haue bidden them turne their eyes from their sinne against their brother to their happinesse in him and haue changed their doubts into hopes and ioyes causing them to looke vpon him without feare though not without shame His louing embracements cleare their hearts of all iealousies and hasten to put new thoughts into them of fauour and of greatnesse So that now forgetting what euill they did to their brother they are thinking of what good their brother may doe to them Actions salued vp with a free forgiuenesse are as not done and as a bone once broken is stronger after well setting so is loue after reconcilement But as wounds once healed leaue a scarre behinde them so remitted iniuries leaue commonly in the actors a guilty remembrance which hindered these brethren from that freedome of ioy which else they had conceiued This was their fault not Iosephs who striues to giue them all securitie of his loue and wil be as bountifull as they were cruell They sent him naked to strangers hee sends them in new and rich liueries to their Father they tooke a small summe of money for him hee giues them great treasures They sent his torne coat to his Father He sends varietie of costly rayments to his Father by them They sold him to be the loade of Camels He sends them home with Chariots It must be a great fauour that can appease the conscience of a great injury Now they returne home rich and ioyfull making themselues happy to thinke how glad they should make their Father with this newes That good old man would neuer haue hoped that Aegypt could haue afforded such prouision as this Ioseph is yet aliue This was not food but life to him The returne of Beniamin was comfortable but that his dead sonne was yet aliue after so many yeares lamentation was tidings too happy to be beleeued and was enough to endanger that life with excesse of ioy which the knowledge thereof doubled Ouer-excellent obiects are dangerous in their sudden apprehensions One graine of that ioy would haue safely cheered him whereof a full measure ouer-layes his heart with too much sweetnesse There is no earthly pleasure whereof we may not surfet of the sprituall we can neuer haue enough Yet his eyes reuiue his minde which his eares had thus astonished When hee saw the Chariots of his sonne he beleeued Iosephs life and refreshed his owne He had too much before so that he could not enioy it now he saith I haue enough Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue They told him of his honour he speakes of his life Life is better then honour To haue heard that Ioseph liued a seruant would haue ioyed him more then to heare that he dyed honourably The greater blessing obscures the lesse He is not worthy of honour that is not thankefull for life Yet Iosephs life did not content Iacob without his presence I will goe downe and see him ere I dye The sight of the eye is better then to walke in desires Good things pleasure vs not in their being but in our inioying The height of all earthly contentment appeared in the meeting of these two whom their mutuall losse had more endeared to each other The intermission of comforts hath this aduantage that it sweetens our delight more in the returne then was abated in the forbearance God doth oft-times hide away our Ioseph for a time that we may bee more ioyous and thankfull in his recouerie This was the sincerest pleasure that euer Iacob had which therefore God reserued for his age And if the meeting of earthly friends be so vnspeakably comfortable how happy shall we be in the light of the glorious face of God our heauenly Father of that our blessed Redeemer whom we sold to death by our sinnes and which now after that noble Triumph hath all power giuen him in Heauen and Earth Thus did Iacob reioyce when he was to goe out of the Land of Promise to a foraine Nation for Iosephs sake being glad that hee should lose his Countrey for his sonne What shall our ioy be who
of a nurse hath gained her both her son and his education and with both a recompence Religion doth not call vs to a weake simplicitie but allowes vs as much of the Serpent as of the Doue lawfull policies haue from God both liberty in the vse and blessing in the successe The good Lady did not breed him as some child of almes or as some wretched outcast for whom it might be fauour enough to liue but as her owne son in all the delicacies in all the learning of Aegypt Whatsoeuer the Court or the Schoole could put into him he wanted not yet all this could not make him forget that he was an Hebrew Education works wondrous changes and is of great force either way a little aduancement hath so puffed some vp aboue themselues that they haue not onely forgot their friends but scorned their parents All the honors of Aegypt could not win Moses not to call his nurse mother or weane him from a willing misery with the Israelites If we had Moses his faith we could not but make his choice It is only our infidelity that binds vs so to the world and makes vs preferre the momentany pleasures of sinne vnto that euerlasting recompence of reward He went forth and looked on the burdens of Israel What needed Moses to haue afflicted himselfe with the afflictions of others Himselfe was at ease and pleasure in the Court of Pharaoh A good heart cannot endure to be happy alone and must needs vnbidden share with others in their miseries He is no true Moses that is not moued with the calamities of Gods Church To see an Aegyptian smite an Hebrew it smote him and moued him to smite He hath no Israelitish blood in him that can endure to see an Israelite stricken either with hand or tongue Here was his zeale where was his authority Doubtlesse Moses had an instinct from God of his Magistracy else how should he thinke they would haue vnderstood what himselfe did not Oppressions may not be righted by violence but by law The redresse of euil by a person vnwarranted is euill Moses knew that God had called him he knew that Pharaoh knew it not therefore he hides the Aegyptian in the sand Those actions which may be approued vnto God are not alwayes safe with men as contrarily too many things goe currant with men which are not approued of God Another Hebrew is stricken but by an Hebrew the act is the same the agents differ neither doth their profession more differ then Moses his proceedings He giues blowes to the one to the other words The blowes to the Aegyptian were deadly the words to the Hebrew gentle and plausible As God makes a difference betwixt chastisements of his owne and punishments of strange children so must wise Gouernors learn to distinguish of sins and iudgements according to circumstances How mildly doth Moses admonish Sirs ye are brethren If there had beene but any dram of good nature in these Hebrewes they had relented now it is strange to see that being so vniuersally vexed with their common aduersary they should yet vexe one another One would haue thought that a common opposition should haue vnited them more yet now priuate grudges do thus dangerously diuide them Blowes enow were not dealt by the Aegyptians their owne must adde to the violence Still Satan is thus busie and Christians are thus malicious that as if they wanted enemies they flye in one anothers faces While we are in this Aegypt of the world all vnkind strifes would easily be composed if wee did not forget that we are brethren Behold an Aegyptian in the skin of an Hebrew how dogged an answer doth Moses receiue to so gentle a reproofe who would not haue expected that this Hebrew had bin enough deiected with the common affliction But vexations may make some more miserable not more humble as we see sicknesses make some tractable others more froward It is no easie matter to beare a reproofe well if neuer so well tempered no Sugar can bereaue a Pill of his bitternesse None but the gracious can say Let the righteous smite me Next to the not deseruing a reproofe is the well taking of it But who is so ready to except and exclaime as the wrong doer The patient replies not One iniury drawes on another first to his brother then to his reprouer Guiltinesse will make a man stir vpon euery touch he that was wronged could incline to reconciliation Malice makes men vncapable of good counsell and there are none so great enemies to Iustice as those which are enemies to peace With what impatience doth a galled heart receiue an admonition This vnworthy Israelite is the patterne of a stomackfull offender first hee is moued to choller in himselfe then he cals for the authority of the admonisher A small authority will serue for a louing admonition It is the duty of men much more of Christians to aduise against sin yet this man askes Who made thee a Iudge for but finding fault with his iniury Then he aggrauates and misconstrues Wilt thou kill me when Moses meant onely to saue both It was the death of his malice onely that was intended and the safety of his person And lastly he vpbraids him with former actions Thou killedst the Aegyptian What if he did What if vniustly What was this to the Hebrew Another mans sin is no excuse for ours A wicked heart neuer lookes inward to it selfe but outward to the quality of the reprouer if that afford exception it is enough as a dog runs first to reuenge on the stone What matter is it to me who he be that admonisheth me Let me looke home into my selfe let me looke to his aduice If that be good it is more shame to me to be reproued by an euill man As a good mans allowance cannot warrant euill so an euill mans reproofe may remedy euill If this Hebrew had beene well pleased Moses had not heard of his slaughter now in choller all will out and if this mans tongue had not thus cast him in the teeth with blood he had beene surprised by Pharaoh ere he could haue knowne that the fact was knowne Now he growes iealous flees and escapes No friend is so commodious in some cases as an aduersary This wound which the Hebrew thought to giue Moses saued his life As it is good for a man to haue an enemy so it shall be our wisedome to make vse of his most cholericke obiections The worst of an enemy may proue most soueraigne to our selues Moses flees It is no discomfort for a man to flee when his conscience pursues him not Where Gods warrant will not protect vs it is good for the heeles to supplie the place of the tongue Moses when he may not in Aegypt he will be doing iustice in Midian In Aegypt he deliuers the oppressed Israelite in Midian the wronged daughters of Iethro A good man wil be doing good wheresoeuer he is his Trade is a compound of Charity
touched of the purest Israelite Here the hem of his garment is touched by the woman that had the flux of blood yea his very face was touched with the lips of Iudas There the very earth vvas prohibited them on which he descended Here his very body and blood is profered to our touch and taste Oh the maruellous kindnesse of our God! How vnthankfull are we if we doe not acknowledge this mercy aboue his ancient people They were his owne yet strangers in comparison of our libertie It is our shame and sinne if in these meanes of intirenesse we be no better acquainted with God then they which in their greatest familiaritie vvere commanded aloofe God was euer wonderfull in his workes and fearfull in his iudgements but hee was neuer so terrible in the execution of his will as now in the promulgation of it Here was nothing but a maiesticall terrour in the eyes in the eares of the Israelites as if God meant to shew them by this how fearfull he could be Here was the lightning darted in their eyes the thunders roaring in their eares the Trumpet of God drowning the thunder claps the voice of God out-speaking the Trumpet of the Angell The Cloud enwrapping the smoake ascending the fire flaming the Mount trembling Moses climbing and quaking palenesse and death in the face of Israel vprore in the elements and all the glory of heauen turned into terrour In the destruction of the first World there were clouds without fire In the destruction of Sodom there was fire raining without clouds but here was fire smoake clouds thunder earthquakes and whatsoeuer might worke more astonishment then euer was in any vengeance inflicted And if the Law vvere thus giuen how shall it be required If such were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes what shall the Sessions bee I see and tremble at the resemblance The Trumpet of the Angell called vnto the one The voice of an Archangell the Trumpet of God shall summon vs to the other To the one Moses that climbed vp that Hill and alone saw it sayes God came with ten thousands of his Saints In the other thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shal stand before him In the one Mount Sinai onely was on a flame all the World shall be so in the other In the one there was fire smoake thunder and lightning In the other a fiery streame shall issue from him wherewith the heauens shall be dissolued and the Elements shall melt away vvith a noise Oh God how powerfull art thou to inflict vengeance vpon sinners who didst thus forbid sinne and if thou vvert so terrible a Law-giuer vvhat a Iudge shalt thou appeare What shall become of the breakers of so fierie a Law Oh vvhere shall those appeare that are guilty of the transgressing that law vvhose very deliuery vvas little lesse then death If our God should exact his Law but in the same rigour wherein he gaue it sinne could not quite the cost But now the fire vvherein it was deliuered was but terrifying the fire wherein it shall bee required is consuming Happy are those that are from vnder the terrours of that Law which was giuen in fire and in fire shall be required God would haue Israel see that they had not to do with some impotent Commander that is faine to publish his Lawes without noyse in dead paper which can more easily enioyne then punish or descry then execute and therefore before hee giues them a Law he shewes them that he can command Heauen Earth Fire Ayre in reuenge of the breach of the Law That they could not but thinke it deadly to displease such a Law-giuer or violate such dreadfull statutes that they might see all the Elements examples of that obedience which they should yeeld vnto their Maker This fire wherein the Law was giuen is still in it and will neuer out Hence are those terrours which it flashes in euery conscience that hath felt remorse of sinne Euery mans heart is a Sinai and resembles to him both heauen and hell The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law That they might see he could finde out their closest sinnes hee deliuers his Law in the light of fire from out of the smoake That they might see what is due to their sinnes they see fire aboue to represent the fire that should be below them That they might know he could waken their securitie the Thunder and louder voice of GOD speakes to their hearts That they might see what their hearts should doe the Earth quakes vnder them That they might see they could not shift their appearance the Angels call them together Oh royall Law and mighty Law-giuer How could they think of hauing any other God that had such proofes of this How could they think of making any resemblance of him whom they saw could not be seene and whom they saw in not being seene infinite How could they thinke of daring to profane his Name vvhom they heard to name himselfe with that voice Iehoua How could they thinke of standing vvith him for a day whom they saw to command that heauen vvhich makes and measures day How could they thinke of disobeying his Deputies whom they saw so able to reuenge How could they thinke of killing when they were halfe dead with the feare of him that could kill both body and soule How could they think of the flames of lust that saw such fires of vengeance How could they thinke of stealing from others that saw whose the heauen and the earth was to dispose of at his pleasure How could they thinke of speaking falsely that heard God speake in so fearfull a tone How could they thinke of coueting others goods that saw how vveake and vncertaine right they had to their owne Yea to vs vvas this Law so deliuered to vs in them neither had there beene such state in the promulgation of it if God had not intended it for Eternity We men that so feare the breach of humane Lawes for some small mulcts of forfeiture how should vvee feare thee O Lord that canst cast body and soule into hell Of the Golden Calfe IT was not much aboue a moneth since Israel made their couenant with God since they trembled to heare him say Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me since they saw Moses part from them and climbe vp the Hill to God and now they say Make vs Gods we know not what is become of this Moses Oh ye mad Israelites haue ye so soon forgotten that fire and thunder which you heard and saw Is that smoake vanished out of your minde as soone as out of your sight Could your hearts cease to tremble with the earth Can yee in the very sight of Sinai call for other Gods And for Moses was it not for your sakes that he thrust himselfe into the midst of that smoake and fire which ye feared to see afar off Was he not now gone after so many sudden
hand yet if any other had done it he had falne with the dead and not stood betwixt the liuing and dead in stead of the smoke ascending the fire had descended vpon him And shall there be lesse vse or lesse regard of the Euangelicall ministerie then the Legall When the world hath powred out all his contempt wee are they that must reconcile men to God and without vs they perish I know not whether more to maruell at the courage or mercy of Aaron His mercy that hee would yet saue so rebellious a people his courage that hee would saue them with so great a danger of himselfe For as one that would part a fray he thrusts himselfe vnder the strokes of God and puts it to the choice of the reuenger whether hee will smite him or forbeare the rest Hee stands boldly betwixt the liuing and the dead as one that will either dye with them or haue them liue with him the sight of fourteene hundred carcasses dismayed him not he that before feared the threats of the people now feares not the strokes of God It is not for Gods Ministers to stand vpon their owne perils in the common causes of the Church Their prayers must oppose the iudgements of the Almighty When the fire of Gods anger is kindled their Censers must smoke with fire from the Altar Euery Christian must pray for the remouall of vengeance how much more they whom God hath appointed to mediate for his people Euery mans mouth is his owne but they are the mouths of all Had Aaron thrust in himselfe with empty hands I doubt whether he had preuailed now this Censer was his protection When we come with supplications in our hands we need not feare the strokes of God Wee haue leaue to resist the diuine iudgements by our prayers with fauour and successe So soone as the incense of Aaron ascended vp vnto God he smelt a sauour of rest he will rather spare the offenders then strike their intercessor How hardly can any people miscary that haue faithfull Ministers to sue for their safety Nothing but the smoke of hearty prayers can cleanse the ayre from the plagues of God If Aarons sacrifice were thus accepted how much more shall the High-Priest of the New Testament by interposing himselfe to the wrath of his Father deliuer the offenders from death The plague was entred vpon all the sonnes of men O Sauiour thou stood'st betwixt the liuing and the dead that all which beleeue in thee should not perish Aaron offered and was not stricken but thou O Redeemer wouldest offer and be strooke that by thy stripes we might be healed So stood'st thou betwixt the dead and liuing that thou wert both aliue and dead and all this that we when we were dead might liue for euer Nothing more troubled Israel then a feare left the two brethren should cunningly ingrosse the gouernment to themselues If they had done so what wise men would haue enuied them an office so little worth so dearly purchased But because this conceit was euer apt to stir them to rebellion and to hinder the benefit of this holy souerainty therefore God hath endeuoured nothing more then to let them see that these officers whom they so much enuied were of his owne proper institution They had scarce shut their eyes since they saw the confusion of those two hundred and fifty vsurping sacrificers and Aarons effectuall intercession for staying the plague of Israel In the one the execution of Gods vengeance vpon the competitors of Aaron for his sake In the other the forbearance of vengeance vpon the people for Aarons mediation might haue challenged their voluntary acknowledgement of his iust calling from God If there had beene in them either awe or thankfulnesse they could not haue doubted of his lawfull supremacie How could they choose but argue thus Why would God so fearfully haue destroyed the riuals that durst contest with Aaron if he would haue allowed him any equall Wherefore serue those plates of the Altar which we see made of those vsurped Censers but to warne all posteritie of such presumption Why should God cease striking whiles Aaron interposed betwixt the liuing and the dead if he were but as one of vs Which of vs if wee had stood in the plague had not added to the heape Incredulous minds will not be perswaded with any euidence These two brothers had liued asunder forty yeeres God makes thē both meet in one office of deliuering Israel One halfe of the miracles were wrought by Aaron he strooke with the rod whiles it brought those plagues on Egypt The Israelites heard God call him vp by name to mount Sinai They saw him anointed from God and lest they should thinke this a set match betwixt the brethren they saw the earth opening the fire issuing from God vpon their emulous opposites they saw his smoke a sufficient antidote for the plague of God and yet still Aarons calling is questioned Nothing is more naturall to euery man then vnbeliefe but the earth neuer yeelded a people so strongly incredulous as these and after so many thousand generations their children doe inherite their obstinacie still doe they oppose the true High-Priest the Anointed of God sixteene hundred yeares desolation hath not drawne from them to confesse him whom God hath chosen How desirous was God to giue satisfaction euen to the obstinate There is nothing more materiall then that men should bee assured their spirituall guides haue their Comission and Calling from God The want whereof is a preiudice to our successe It should not be so but the corruption of men will not receiue good but from due messengers Before God wrought miracles in the Rod of Moses now in the rod of Aaron As Pharaoh might see himselfe in Moseses rod who of a rod of defence and protection was turned into a venemous Serpent So Israel might see themselues in the rod of Aaron Euery Tribe and euery Israelite was of himselfe as a sere-sticke without life without sap and if any one of them had power to liue and flourish hee must acknowledge it from the immediate power and gift of God Before Gods calling all men are alike Euery name is alike written in their Rod there is no difference in the letters in the wood neither the characters of Aaron are fayrer nor the staffe more precious It is the choise of God that makes the distinction So it is in our calling of Christianitie All are equally deuoid of possibility of grace all equally liuelesse by nature we are all sonnes of wrath If we be now better then others who separated vs We are all Crabstocks in this Orchard of God he may graffe what fruit he pleases vpon vs onely the grace and effectuall calling of God makes the difference These twelue Heads of Israel would neuer haue written their names in their rods but in hope they might be chosen to this dignitie What an honour was this Priesthood whereof all the Princes of Israel are
in pieces Hee that will iudge and can confound is fetcht into the quarrell without cause But if to striue with a mighty man bee vnwise and vnsafe what shall it be to striue with the mighty God As an angry child casts away that which is giuen him because he hath not that hee would so doe these foolish Israelites their bread is light and their water vnsatisfying because their way displeased them Was euer people fed with such bread or water Twice hath the very Rocke yeelded them water and euery day the heauen affords them bread Did any one soule amongst them miscarie either for hunger or thirst But no bread will downe with them saue that which the earth yeelds no water â—ut from the naturall Wels or Riuers Vnlesse nature may be allowed to bee her owne caruer she is neuer contented Manna had no fault but that it was too good and too frequent the pulse of Egypt had been fitter for these course mouths This heauenly bread was vnspeakably delicious it tasted like wafers of hony and yet euen this Angels food is contemned He that is full despiseth an hony-combe How sweet and delicate is the Gospel Not onely the Fathers of the Old Testament but the Angels desired to looke into the glorious mysteries of it and yet we are cloyed This supernaturall food is too light the bread-corne of our humane reason and profound discourse would better content vs. Moses will not reuenge this wrong God will yet will he not deale with them himselfe but he sends the fiery Serpents to answer for him How fitly They had caried themselues like serpents to their gouernors how oft had they stung Moses and Aaron neere to death If the Serpent bite when he is not charmed no better is a slanderer Now these venemous Adders reuenge it which are therefore called fiery because their poison scalded to death God hath an hand in the annoyance and hurt of the basest creature how much lesse can the sting of an ill tongue or the malice of an ill spirit strike vs without him Whiles they were in Goshen the Frogs Lice Caterpillers spared them and plagued the Egyptians now they are rebellious in the Desart the serpents finde them out and sting them to death Hee that brought the Quailes thither to feed them fetches these Serpents thither to punish them While we are at warres with God we can looke for no peace with his creatures Euery thing reioyces to execute the vengeance of his Maker The stones of the field will not bee in league with vs while we are not in league with God These men when the Spies had told them newes of the Gyants of Canaan a little before had wisht Would God wee were dead in this Wildernesse Now God hath heard their prayers what with the Plague what with the Serpents many thousands of them dyed The ill wishes of our impatience are many times heard As those good things are not granted vs which we pray for without care so those euils which wee pray for and would not haue are oft granted The eares of God are not only open to the prayers of faith but to the imprecations of infidelitie It is dangerous wishing euill to our selues or ours It is iust with God to take vs at our word and to effect that which our lips speake against our heart Before God hath euer consulted with Moses and threatned ere he punisht now he strikes and sayes nothing The anger is so much more by how much lesse notified When God is not heard before he is felt as in the hewing of wood the blow is not heard till the axe be seene to haue strooke it is a fearfull signe of displeasure It is with God as with vs men that still reuenges are euer most dangerous Till now all vvas well enough with Israel and yet they grudged Those that will complaine without a cause shall haue cause to complaine for something Discontented humours seldome scape vnpunished but receiue that most iustly whereat they repined vniustly Now the people are glad to seeke to Moses vnbidden Euer heretofore they haue been wont to be sued to and intreated for without their owne intreaty now their miserie makes them importunate There need no sollicitor where there is sense of smart It were pity men should want affliction since it sends them to their prayers and confessions All the perswasions of Moses could not doe that which the Serpents haue done for him O God thou seest how necessary it is wee should be stung sometimes else we should runne wilde and neuer come to a sound humiliation wee should neuer seeke thee if thy hand did not finde vs out They had spoken against God and Moses and now they humbly speake to Moses that he would pray to God for them He that so oft prayed for them vnbidden cannot but much more doe it requested and now obtaines the meanes of their cure It was equally in the power of God to remoue the Serpents and to heale their stinging to haue cured the Israelites by his word and by his signe But he finds it best for his people to exercise their faith that the Serpents may bite and their bitings may inuenome and that this venome may indanger the Israelites and that they thus affected â—â—y seeke to him for remedy and seeking may finde it from such meanes as should haue no power but in signification that while their bodies were cured by the signe their soules might be confirmed by the matter signified A Serpent of brasse could no more heale then sting them What remedy could their eyes giue to their legges Or what could a Serpent of cold brasse preuaile against a liuing and fierie Serpent In this troublesome Desart wee are all stung by that fiery and old Serpent O Sauiour it is to thee we must looke and be cured It is thou that wert their Paschal Lambe their Manna their Rock their Serpent To all purposes dost thou vary thy selfe to thy Church that we may finde thee euery-where Thou art for our nourishment refreshing cure as hereafter so euen now all in all This Serpent which was appointed for cure to Israel at last stings them to death by Idolatrous abuse What poyson there is in Idolatry that makes euen Antidotes deadly As Moses therefore raised this Serpent so Ezekias pulled it downe God commanded the raising of it God approued the demolishing of it Superstitious vse can marre the very institutions of God how much more the most wise and well-grounded deuices of men Of BALAAM MOab and Midian had beene all this while standers by and lookers on If they had not seen the patterne of their own ruine in these neighbors it had neuer troubled them to see the Kings of the Amorites and Bashan to fall before Israel Had not the Israelites camped in the Plaines of Moab their victories had beene no eye-sore to Balac Wicked men neuer care to obserue Gods iudgments till themselues be touched The fire of a neighbors house would
leaues to the sword of humane authority that hee might winne awe to his owne ordinances As the sinnes of great men are exemplary so are their punishments Nothing procures so much credit to gouernment as strict and impartiall executions of great and noble offenders Those whom their sinnes haue embased deserue no fauour in the punishment As God knowes no honour no royalty in matter of sinne no more may his Deputies Contrarily conniuence at the outrages of the mighty cuts the sinewes of any State neither doth any thing make good lawes more contemptible then the making difference of offenders that small sacriledges should bee punished when great ones ride in triumph If good ordinations turne once to Spiders webs which are broken thorow by the bigger Flyes no hand will feare to sweepe them downe God was angry Moses and all good Israelites grieued the heads hanged vp the people plagued yet behold one of the Princes of Israel feares not to braue God and his Ministers in that sinne which he sees so grieuously reuenged in others I can neuer wonder enough at the impudence of this Israelite Here is fornication an odious crime and that of an Israelite whose name challenges holinesse yea of a Prince of Israel whose practice is a rule to inferiours and that with a woman of Midian with whom euen a chaste contract had beene vnlawfull and that with contempt of all gouernment and that in the face of Moses and all Israel and that in a time of mourning and iudgement for that same offence Those that haue once passed the bounds of modesty soone grow shamelesse in their sinnes Whiles sinne hides it selfe in corners there is yet hope for where there is shame there is a possibility of grace but when once it dare looke vpon the Sunne and sends challenges to authority the case is desperate and ripe for iudgement This great Simeonite thought he might sinne by priuiledge He goes as if he said Who dares controll me His nobility hath raised him aboue the reach of correction Commonly the sinnes of the mighty are not without presumption and therefore their vengeance is no lesse then their security and their punishment is so much greater as their conceit of impunity is greater All Israel saw this bold lewdnesse of Zimri but their hearts and eyes were so full of griefe that they had not roome enough for indignation Phineas lookt on with the rest but with other affections When he saw this defiance bidden to God and this insultation vpon the sorrow of his people that whiles they were wringing their hands a proud miscreant durst out-face their humiliation with his wicked dalliance his hart boiles with a desire of an holy reuenge and now that hand which was vsed to a Censer and sacrificing knife takes vp his Iauelin and with one stroke ioynes these two bodies in their death which were ioyned in their sin and in the very flagrance of their lust makes a new way for their soules to their owne place O noble and heroicall courage of Phineas which as it was rewarded of God so is worthy to be admired of men He doth not stand casting of scruple Who am I to doe this The son of the high Priest My place is all for peace and mercy It is for mee to sacrifice and pray for the sinne of the people not to sacrifice any of the people for their sinne My duty cals me to appease the anger of God what I may not to reuenge the sins of men to pray for their conuersion not to worke the confusion of any sinner and who are these Is not the one a great Prince in Israel the other a Princesse of Midian Can the death of two so famous persons go vnreuenged Or if it be safe and fit why doth my vncle Moses rather shead his owne teares then their blood I will mourne with the rest let them reuenge whom it concerneth But the zeale of God hath barred out all weake deliberations and he holds it now both his duty and his glory to be an executioner of so shamelesse a paire of offenders God loues this heat of zeale in all the cariages of his seruants And if it transport vs too far hee pardoneth the errors of our feruency rather then the indifferences of lukewarmnesse As these two were more beasts then any that euer he sacrificed so the shedding of their blood was the acceptablest sacrifice that euer hee offered vnto God for both all Israel is freed from the plague and all his posteritie haue the Priesthood entayled to them so long as the Iewes were a people Next to our prayes there is no better sacrifice then the blood of malefactors not as it is theirs but as it is shed by authority Gouernors are faulty of those sinns they punish not There can be no better sighâ— in any State then to see a malefactor at the Gallowes It is not enough for vs to stand gazing vpon the wickednesse of the times yea although with teares vnlesse we endeuor to redresse it especially publike persons cary not their Iauelin in their hand for nought Euery one is ready to aske Phineas for his commission and those that are willing to salue vp the act plead extraordinary instinct from God who no doubt would not haue accepted that which himselfe wrought not But what need I run so far for this warrant when I heare God say to Moses Hang vp all the heads of Israel and Moses say to the Vnder-Rulers Euery one slay his men that are ioyned to Baal-Peor Euery Israelite is now made a Magistrate for this execution and why not Phineas amongst the rest Doth his Priesthood exempt him from the blood of sinners How then doth Samuel hew Agag in pieces Euen those may make a carkasse which may not touch it And if Leui got the Priesthood by shedding the blood of Idolaters why may it not stand with that Priesthood to spill the blood of a fornicator and Idolater Ordinary iustice will beare out Phineas in this act It is not for euery man to challenge this office this which double proclamation allowed to Phineas All that priuate persons can doe is either to lift vp their hands to heauen for redresse of sinne or to lift vp their hands against the sinne not against the person Who made thee a Iudge is a lawfull question if iâ—â—eer with a person vnwarranted Now the sinne is punished the plague ceaseth The reuenge of God sets out euer after the sinne but if the reuenge of men which commonly comes later can ouertake it God giues ouer the chase How oft hath the infliction of a lesse punishment auoided a greater There are none so good friends to the State as couragious and impartiall ministers of iustice These are the reconcilers of God and the people more then the prayers of them that fit still and doe nothing Of the death of MOSES AFter many painfull and perillous enterprises now is Moses drawing to his rest He hath brought his Israelites froÌ„
bidden If we will be vnseasonable in our good actions we may hurt and not benefit our selues Euery liuing thing in Iericho man woman child cattell must die our folly would thinke this mercilesse but there can bee no mercy in iniustice and nothing but iniustice in not fulfilling the charge of God The death of Malefactors the condemnation of wicked men seeme harsh to vs but we must learne of God that there is a punishing mercy Cursed be that mercy that opposes the God of mercy Yet was not Ioshua so intent vpon the slaughter as not to be mindfull of Gods part and Rahabs First he giues charge vnder a curse of reseruing all the treasure for God Then of preseruing the family of Rahab Those two Spyes that receiued life from her now returne it to her and hers They call at the window with the red cord and send vp newes of life to her the same way which they receiued theirs Her house is no part of Iericho neither may fire be set to any building of that City till Rahab and her family be set safe without the host The actions of our faith and charity will be sure to pay vs if late yet surely Now Rahab findes what it is to beleeue God whiles out of an impure idolatrous Citie she is transplanted into the Church of God and made a mother of a royall and holy posteritie Of ACHAN WHen the wals of Iericho were falne Ioshua charged the Israelites but with two precepts Of sparing Rahabs house and of abstaining from that treasure which was anathematized to God and one of them is broken As in the entrance to Paradise but one tree was forbidden and that was eaten of God hath prouided for our weaknesse in the paucity of commands but our innocency stands not so much in hauing few precepts as in keeping those we haue So much more guilty are wee in the breach of one as wee are more fauoured in the number They needed no command to spare no liuing thing in Iericho but to spare the treasure no command was enough Impartialitie of execution is easier to performe then contempt of these worldly things because we are more prone to couet for our selues then to pitie others Had Ioshua bidden saue the men and diuide the treasure his charge had been more plausible then now to kill the men and saue the treasure or if they must kill earthly minds would more gladly shead their enemies blood for a bootie then out of obedience for the glory of their Maker But now it is good reason since God threw downe those wals and not they that both the blood of that wicked Citie should be spilt to him not to their owne reuenge and that the treasure should bee reserued for his vse not for theirs Who but a miscreant can grudge that God should serue himselfe of his owne I cannot blame the rest of Israel if they were vvell pleased with their conditions onely one Achan troubles the peace and his sinne is imputed to Israel the innocence of so many thousand Israelites is not so forceable to excuse his one sinne as his one sinne is to taint all Israel A lewd man is a pernicious creature That hee damnes his owne soule is the least part of his mischiefe he commonly drawes vengeance vpon a thousand either by the desert of his sinne or by the infection Who would not haue hoped that the same God which for ten righteous men would haue spared the fiue wicked Cities should not haue beene content to drowne one sinne in the obedience of so many righteous But so venemous is sinne especially when it lights among Gods people that one dram of it is able to infect the whole masse of Israel Oh righteous people of Israel that had but one Achan How had their late circumcision cut away the vncleane foreskin of their disobedience How had the blood of their Paschal Lambe scoured their soules from couetous desires The world was well mended with them since their stubborne murmurings in the Desart Since the death of Moses and the gouernment of Ioshua I doe not find them in any disorder After that the Law hath brought vs vnder the conduct of the true Iesus our sinnes are more rare and our liues are more conscionable Whiles we are vnder the Law we do not so keep it as when wee are deliuered from it our Christian freedome is more holy then our seruitude Then haue the Sacraments of God their due effect when their receit purgeth vs from our old sinnes and makes our conuersation cleane and spirituall Little did Ioshua know that there was any sacriledge committed by Israel that sinne is not halfe cunning enough that hath not learned secrecie Ioshua was a vigilant Leader yet some sinnes will escape him Onely that eye which is euery where findes vs out in our close wickednesse It is no blame to authoritie that some sinnes are secretly committed The holiest congregation or family may be blemisht with some malefactors it is iust blame that open sinnes are not punished wee shall wrong gouernment if wee shall expect the reach of it should be infinite Hee therefore which if he had knowne the offence would haue sent vp prayers and teares to God now sends Spyes for a further discouery of Ai They turne with newes of the weaknesse of their aduersaries and as contemning their paucity perswades Ioshua that a wing of Israel is enough to ouershadow this city of Ai. The Israelites were so fleshed with their former victory that now they thinke no wals or men can stand before them Good successe lifts vp the heart with too much confidence and whiles it disswades men from doing their best oft-times disappoints them With God the meanes can neuer bee too weake without him neuer strong enough It is not good to contemne an impotent enemy In this second battell the Israelites are beaten It was not the fewnesse of their assailants that ouerthrow them but the sin that lay lurking at home If all the Host of Israel had set vpon this poore village of Ai they had beene all equally discomfited the wedge of Achan did more fight against them then all the swords of the Canaanites The victories of God go not by strength but by innocence Doubtlesse these men of Ai insulted in this foyle of Israel and said Loe these are the men from whose presence the waters of Iordan ran backe now they runne as fast away from ours These are they before whom the wals of Iericho fell downe now they are falne as fast before vs and all their neighbours tooke heart from this victory Wherein I doubt not but besides the punishment of Israels sinne God intended the further obduration of the Canaanites Like as some skilfull player loses on purpose at the beginning of the game to draw on the more abetments The newes of their ouerthrow spred as farre as the fame of their speed and euery City of Canaan could say Why not we as well as Ai But good
Ioshua that succeeded Moses no lesse in the care of Gods glory then in his gouernment is much deiected with this euent Hee rends his clothes fals on his face casts dust vpon his head and as if he had learned of his Master how to expostulate with God sayes What wilt thou doe to thy mighty Name That Ioshua might see God tooke no pleasure to let the Israelites lye dead vpon the earth before their enemies himselfe is taxed for but lying all day vpon his face before the Arke All his expostulations are answered in one word Get thee vp Israel hath sinned I do not heare God say Lye still and mourne for the sin of Israel It is to no purpose to pray against punishment while the sinne continues And though God loues to be sued to yet he holds our requests vnseasonable till there bee care had of satisfaction When we haue risen and redressed sin then may we fall downe for pardon Victory is in the free hand of God to dispose where hee will and no man can maruell that the dice of Warre run euer with hazard on both sides so as God needed not to haue giuen any other reason of this discomfiture of Israel but his owne pleasure yet Ioshua must now know that Israel which before preuailed for their faith is beaten for their sin When we are crossed in iust and holy quarrels we may well thinke there is some secret euill vnrepented of which God would punish in vs which though we see not yet he so hates that he will rather bee wanting to his owne cause then not reuenge it When we goe about any enterprise of God it is good to see that our hearts be cleere from any pollution of sin and when wee are thwarted in our hopes it is our best course to ransack our selues and to search for some sin hid from vs in our bosome but open to the view of God The Oracle of God which told him a great offence was committed yet reueales not the person It had been as easie for him to haue named the man as the crime Neither doth Ioshua request it but refers that discouery to such a meanes as whereby the offender finding himselfe singled out by the lot might bee most conuinced Achan thought he might haue lyen as close in all that throng of Israel as the wedge of Gold lay in his Tent. The same hope of secresie which moued him to sinne moued him to confidence in his sinne but now when hee saw the lot fall vpon his Tribe hee began to start a little when vpon his family he began to change countenance when vpon his houshold to tremble and feare when vpon his person to be vtterly confounded in himselfe Foolish men thinke to runne away with their priuie sinnes and say Tush no eye shall see me but when they thinke themselues safest God puls them out with shame The man that hath escaped iustice and now is lying downe in death would thinke My shame shall neuer be disclosed but before Men and Angels shall he be brought on the scaffold and find confusion as sure as late What needed any other euidence when God had accused Achan Yet Ioshua will haue the sinne out of his mouth in whose heart it was hatched My sonne I beseech thee giue glory to God Whom God had conuinced as a malefactor Ioshua beseeches as a son Some hot spirit would haue said Thou wretched traitor how hast thou pilfred from thy God and shed the blood of so many Israelites and caused the Host of Israel to shew their backes with dishonour to the Heathen now shall we fetch this sin out of thee with tortures and plague thee with a condigne death But like the Disciple of him whose seruant he was he meekely intreats that which he might haue extorted by violence My son I beseech thee Sweetnesse of compellation is a great helpe towards the good entertainment of an admonition roughnesse and rigor many times hardens those hearts which meekenesse would haue melted to repentance whether we sue or conuince or reproue little good is gotten by bitternesse Detestation of the sin may well stand with fauour to the person and these two not distinguished cause great wrong either in our charity or iustice for either we vncharitably hate the creature of God or vniustly affect the euill of men Subiects are as they are called sonnes to the Magistrate All Israel was not onely of the family but as of the loynes of Ioshua such must be the corrections such the prouisions of Gouernorus as for their children as againe the obedience and loue of subiects must be filiall God had glorified himselfe sufficiently in finding out the wickednesse of Achan neither need he honour from men much lesse from sinners They can dishonour him by their iniquities but what recompence can they giue him for their wrongs yet Ioshua sayes My sonne giue glory to God Israel should now see that the tongue of Achan did iustifie God in his lot The confession of our sins doth no lesse honour God then his glory is blemished by their commission Who would not be glad to redeeme the honour of his Redemer with his owne shame The lot of God and the mild words of Ioshua wonne Achan to accuse himselfe ingenuously impartially a storme perhaps would not haue done that which a Sun-shine had done If Achan had come in vncalled and before any question made out of an honest remorse had brought in this sacrilegious booty and cast himselfe and it at the foot of Ioshua doubtlesse Israel had prospered and his sinne had caried away pardon now he hath gotten thus much thanke that he is not a desperate sinner God will once wring from the conscience of wicked men their owne inditements They haue not more carefully hid their sinne then they shall one day freely proclaime their owne shame Achans confession though it were late yet was it free and full For he doth not onely acknowledge the act but the ground of his sinne I saw and coueted and tooke The eye betrayed the heart and that the hand and now all conspire in the offence If wee list not to flatter our selues this hath beene the order of our crimes Euill is vniforme and beginning at the senses takes the inmost fort of the soule and then armes our own outward forces against vs This shall once be the lasciuious mans song I saw and coueted and tooke This the theeues this the Idolaters this the gluttons drunkards All these receiue their death by the eye But oh foolish Achan with what eyes didst thou looke vpon that spoile which thy fellowes saw and contemned Why couldest thou not before as well as now see shame hid vnder that gay Babylonish garment and an heape of stones couered with those shekels of siluer The ouer-prizing and ouer-desiring of these earthly things caries vs into all mischiefe and hides from vs the sight of Gods iudgements whosoeuer desires the glory of metals or of gay clothes or
hath reuenged God of his people God will reuenge his people of him It is no priuiledge to be an instrument of Gods vengeance by euill meanes Though Eglon were an vsurper yet had Ehud been a Traytor if God had not sent him it is onely in the power him that makes Kings when they are once settled to depose them It is no more possible for our moderne butchers of Princes to shew they are imployed by God then to escape the reuenge of God in offering to doe this violence not being imployed What a strange enoyce doth God make of an Executioner A man shut of his right hand either he had but one hand or vsed but one and that the worse and more vnready Who would not haue thought both hands too little for such a worke or if either might haue been spared how much rather the left God seeth not as man seeth It is the ordinary wont of the Almighty to make choyce of the vnlikeliest meanes The instruments of God must not be measured by their owne power or aptitude but by the will of the Agent Though Ehud had no hands he that imployed him had enabled him to this slaughter In humane things it is good to looke to the meanes in diuine to the worker No meanes are to be contemned that God will vse no meanes to be trusted that man will vse without him It is good to be suspicious where is least shew of danger and most appearance of fauour This left-handed man comes with a present in his hand but a dagger vnder his skirt The Tyrant besides seruice lookt for gifts and now receiues death in his bribe Neither God nor men doe alwaies giue where they loue How oft doth God giue extraordinary illumination power of miracles besides wealth and honour where he hates So doe men too oft accompany their curses with presents either least an enemy should hurt vs or that we may hurt them The intention is the fauour in gifts and not the substance Ehuds faith supplies the want of his hand Where God intends successe hee lifts vp the heart with resolutions of courage and contempt of danger What indifferent beholder of this proiect would not haue condemned it as vnlikely to speed To see a maimed man goe alone to a great King in the middest of all his troupes to single him out from all witnesses to set vpon him with one hand in his owne Parlor where his Courtiers might haue heard the least exclamation and haue comne in if not to the rescue yet to the reuenge Euery circumstance is full of improbabilities Faith euermore ouer-lookes the difficulties of the way and bends her eyes onely to the certainty of the end In this intestine slaughter of our tyrannicall corruptions when we cast our eyes vpon our selues wee might well despaire Alasse what can our left hands doe against these spirituall wickednesses But when wee see who hath both commanded and vndertaken to prosper these Holy designes how can we misdoubt the successe I can doe all things through him that strengthens mee When Ehud hath obtayned the conuenient secrecy both of the weapon and place now with a confident forehead hee approches the Tyrant and salutes him with a true and awfull preface to so important an act I haue a message to thee from God Euen Ehuds ponyard was Gods message not onely the vocall admonitions but also the reall iudgements of God are his errands to the world He speakes to vs in raine and waters in sicknesses and famine in vnseasonable times and inundations These are the secondary messages of God if we will not heare the first we must heare these to our cost I cannot but wonder at the deuout reuerence of this Heathen Prince hee sate in his Chaire of State the vnweildinesse of his fat body was such that hee could not rise with readinesse ease yet no sooner doth he heare newes of a message from God but he rises vp from his Throne and reuerently attends the tenor thereof Though hee had no superiour to controll him yet he cannot abide to be vnmannerly in the businesse of God This man was an Idolater a Tyrant yet what outward respects doth hee giue to the true God Eternall ceremonies of piety and complements of deuotion may well be found with falshood in Religion They are a good shadow of truth where it is but where it is not they are the very body of hypocrasie Hee that had risen vp in Armes against Gods people and the true worship of God now rises vp in reuerence to his name God would haue liked well to haue had lesse of his courtesie more of his obedience He lookt to haue heard the message with his eares he feels it in his guts so sharpe a message that it pierced the body and let out the soule through that vnclean passage neither did it admit of any answere but silence and death In that part had he offended by pampering it and making it his god and now his bane findes the same way with his sinne This one hard and cold morsell which hee cannot digest paies for all those gluttonous delicates whereof he had formerly surfeted It is the manner of God to take fearefull reuenges of the professed enemies of his Church It is a maruell that neither any noyse in his dying nor the fall of so grosse a body called in some of his attendants But that God which hath intended to bring about any designe disposes of all circumstances to his owne purpose If Ehud had not come forth with a calme and setled countenance and shut the dores after him all his proiect had been in the dust What had it been better that the King of Moab was slaine if Israel had neither had a messenger to informe nor a Captaine to guide them Now he departs peaceably and blowes a Trumpet in Mount Ephraim gathers Israel and fals vpon the body of Moab as well as he had done vpon the head and procures freedome to his people He that would vndertake great enterprises had need of wisdome and courage wisedome to contriue and courage to execute wisedome to guide his courage and courage to second his wisedome both which if they meet with a good cause cannot but succeed IAEL and SISERA IT is no wonder if they who ere foure-score daies after the Law deliuered fell to Idolatry alone now after foure-score yeers since the Law restored fell to Idolatry among the Canaanites Peace could in a shorter time worke loosenesse in any people And if forty yeeres after Othniels deliuerance they clapsed what maruell is it that in twise forty after Ehud they thus miscarried What are they the better to haue killed Eglon the King of Moab if the Idolatry of Moab haue killed them The sinne of Moab shall be found a worse Tyrant then thir Eglon. Israel is for euery market they sold themselues to Idolatry God sels them to the Canaanites it is no maruell they are slaues if they will be Idolaters After their
posterity of Beniamin dâ—generated that their Gibeah should be no lesse wicked then populous The first signe of a setled godlesnesse is that a Leuite is suffered to lye without doores If God had been in any of their houses his seruant had not been excluded Where no respect is giuen to Gods messengers there can be no Religion Gibeah was a second Sodome euen there also is another Lot which is therefore so much more hospitall to strangers because himselfe was a stranger The Oast as well as the Leuite is of Mount Ephraim Each man knowes best to commiserate that euill in others which himselfe hath passed thorow All that professe the Name of Christ are Countrymen and yet strangers here below How cheerefully should we entertaine each other when we meet in the Gibeah of this in hospitall world This good old man of Gibeah came home late from his worke in the fields The Sunne was set ere he gaue ouer And now seeing this man a stranger an Israelite a Leuite an Ephramite and that in his way to the house of God to take vp his lodging in the street hee proffers him the kindnesse of his house-roome Industrious spirits are the fittest receptacles of all good motions whereas those which giue themselues to idle and loose courses doe not care so much as for themselues I heare of but one man at his worke in all Gibeah the rest were quaffing and reuelling That one man ends his worke in a charitable entertainement the other end their play in a brutish beastlinesse and violence These villanies had learned both the actions and the language of the Sodomites One vncleane diuell was the prompter to both and this honest Ephramite had learnt of righteous Lot both to intreat and to proffer As a perplexed Mariner that in a storme must cast away something although precious so this good Oast rather will prostitute his daughter a virgin together with the concubine then this prodigious villany should be offered to a man much more to a man of God The detestation of a fouler sinne drew him to ouer-reach in the motion of a lesser which if it had been accepted how could he haue escaped the partnership of their vncleannesse and the guilt of his daughters rauishment No man can wash his hands of that sinne to which his will hath yeelded Bodily violence may be inoffensiue in the patient voluntary inclination to euill though out of feare can neuer be excusable yet behold this wickednesse is too little to satisfie these monsters Who would haue looked for so extreame abomination from the loynes of Iacob the wombe of Rachel the sonnes of Beniamin Could the very Iebusites their neighbors be euer accused of such vnnaturall outrage I am ashamed to say it Euen the worst Pagans were Saints to Israel What auailes it that they haue the Ark of God in Shilo while they haue Sodom in their streets that the law of God is in their fringes whiles the diuell is in their hearts Nothing but hell it selfe can yeeld a worse creature then a depraued Israelite the very meanes of his reformation are the fuel of his wickednesse Yet Lot sped so much better in Sodom then his Ephraimite did in Gibeah by how much more holy guests he entertained There the guests were Angels heere a sinfull man There the guests saued the oast here the oast could not saue the guest from burtish violence Those Sodomites were stricken with outward blindnes and defeated These Beniamites are onely blinded with lust and preuaile The Leuite comes forth perhaps his coat saued his person from this villany who now thinks himselfe wel that he may haue leaue to redeeme his own dishonour with his concubines If he had not loued her dearely he had neuer sought her so farre after so foule a sinne Yet now his hate of that vnnaturall wickednes ouercame his loue to her Shee is exposed to the furious lust of barbarous Ruffians and which he misdoubted not abuseth to death Oh the iust and euen course which the Almighty Iudge of the world holds in all his retribulations This woman had shamed the bed of a Leuit by her former wantonnesse she had thus far gone smoothly away with her sinne her father harboured her her husband forgaue her her owne heart found no cause to complaine because shee smarted not now when the world had forgotten her offence God cals her to reckoning and punishes her with her owne sinne She had voluntarily exposed her selfe to lust now is exposed forceably Adultery was her sin adultery was her death What smiles soeuer wickednesse casts vpon the heart whiles it sollicites it will owe vs a displeasure and proue it selfe a faithfull Debter The Leuite looked to finde her humbled with this violence not murdered and now indignation moues him to adde horrour to the fact Had not his heart been raysed vp with an excesse of desire to make the crime as odious as it was sinful his action could not be excuseÌ„ Those hands that might not touch a carkais now carue the corps of his own dead wife into morsels and send these tokens to all the Tribes of Israel that when they should see these gobbets of the body murdered the more they might detest the murderers Himselfe puts on cruelty to the dead that he might draw them to a iust reuenge of her death Actions nororiously villanous may iustly countenance an extraordinary meanes of prosecution Euery Israelite hath a part in a Leuites wrong No Tribe hath not his share in the carcasse and the reuenge The desolation of BENIMIN THese morsels could not chuse but cut the hearts of Israel with horror and compassion horror of the act and compassion of the sufferer and now their zeale drawes them together either for satisfaction or reuenge Who would not haue looked that the hands of Beniamin should haue been first vpon Gibeah and that they should haue readily sent the heads of the offenders for a second seruice after the gobbets of the concubine But now in stead of punishing the sinne they patronize the actors and will rather die in resisting iustice then liue and prosper in furthering it Surely Israel had one Tribe too many all Beniamin is turned into Gibeah the sons not of Beniamin but of Belial The abetting of euill is worse then the commission This may be vpon infirmity but that must be vpon resolution Easie punishment is too much fauour to sinne conniuence is much worse but the defence of it and that vnto bloud is intollerable Had not these men been both wicked and quarrellous they had not drawne their swords in so foule a cause Peaceable dispositions are hardly drawn to fight for innocence yet these Beniaminites as if they were in loue with villanie and out of charity with God will be the wilfull Champions of lewdnesse How can Gibeah repent them of that wickednesse which all Beiamin will make good in spight of their consciences Euen where sinne is suppressed it will rise but where it is
incouraged it insults and tyrannizes It was more iust that Israel should rise against Beniamin then that Beniamin should rise for Gibeah by how much it is better to punish offenders then to shelter the offenders from punishing And yet the wickednesse of Beniamin sped better for the time then the honesty of Israel Twise was the better part foyled by the lesse and worse The good cause was sent backe with shame the euill returned with victory and triumph O God! their hand was for thee in the fight thy hand was with them in their fall They had not fought for thee but by thee neither could they haue miscarried in the fight if thou hadst not fought against them Thou art iust and holy in both The cause was thine the sinne in managing of it was their owne They fought in an holy quarrell but with confidence in themselues for as presuming of victory they aske of God not what should be their successe but who should be their Captaine Number and innocence made them too secure I was iust therefore with God to let them feele that euen good zeale cannot beare out presumption and that victorie lies not in the cause but in the God that ownes it Who cannot imagine how much the Beniaminites insulted in their double field and day And now beganne to thinke God was on their side Those swords which had been taught the way into forty thousand bodies of their brethren cannot feare a new encounter Wicked men cannot see their prosperity a piece of their curse neither can examine their actions but the euents Soone after thy shall finde what it was to adde bloud vnto filthinesse and that the victorie of an euill cause is the way to ruine and confusion I should haue feared lest this double discomfiture should haue made Israel either distrustfull or weary of a good cause but still I finde them no lesse couragious with more humility Now they fast and weepe and sacrifice These weapons had beene victorious in their first assault Beniamin had neuer been in danger of pride for ouercomming if this humiliation of Israel had preuented the fight It is seldome seene but that which we doe with feare prospereth whereas confidence in vndertaking layes euen good endeuours in the dust Wickednesse could neuer bragge of any long prosperity nor complaine of the lacke of paiment Still God is euen with it at the last Now he payes the Beniaminites both that death which they had lent to the Israelites and that wherein they stood indebted to their brotherhood of Gibeah And now that both are met in death there is as much difference betwixt those Israelites and these Beniaminites as betwixt Martyrs and Malefactors To die in a sinne is a fearefull reuenge of giuing patronage to sinne The sword consumes their bodies another fire their Cities whatsoeuer became of their soules Now might Rachel haue iustly wept for her children because they were not for behold the men women and children of her wicked Tribe are cut off only some few scattered remainders ran away from this vengeance and lurked in caues and rockes both for feare and shame There was no difference but life betwixt their brethren and them the earth couered them both yet vnto them doth the reuenge of Israel stretch it selfe and vowes to destroy if not their persons yet their succession as holding them vnworthy to receiue any comfort by that sex to which they had been so cruell both in act and maintenance If the Israelites had not held marriage and issue a very great blessing they had not thus reuenged themselues of Beniamin now they accounted the with-holding of their wiues a punishment second to death The hope of life in our posterity is the next contentment to an enioying of life in our selues They haue sworne and now vpon cold bloud repent them If the oath were not iust why would they take it and if it were iust why did they recant it If the act were iustifiable what needed these teares Euen a iust oath may be rashly taken not only iniustice but temerite of swearing ends in lamentation In our very ciuill actions it is a weakenesse to doe that which we would after reuerse but in our affaires with God to checke our selues too late and to steepe our oathes in teares is a dangerous folly Hee doth not command vs to take voluntary oathes he commands vs to keepe them If we binde our selues to inconuenience we may iustly complaine of our owne setters Oathes doe not onely require iustice but iudgement wise deliberation no lesse then equity Not conscience of their fact but commiseration of their brethren led them to this publike repentance O God why is this come to passe that this day one Tribe of Israel shall want Euen the iustest reuenge of men is capable of pitty Insultation in the rigour of Iustice argues cruelty Charitable mindes are grieued to see that done which they would not wish vndone the smart of the offender doth not please them which yet are throughly displeased with the sinne and haue giuen their hands to punish it God himselfe takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner yet loues the punishment of sinne As a god parent whips his childe yet weepes himselfe There is a measure in victory and reuenge if neuer so iust which to exceed leeses mercy in the suit of Iustice If there were no fault in their seuerity it needed no excuse and if there were a fault it will admit of no excuse yet as if they meant to shift off the sin they expostulate with God O Lord God of Israel why is this come to passe this day God gaue them no command of this rigour yea he twice crost them in the execution and now in that which they intreated of God with teares they challenge him It is a dangerous iniustice to lay the burden of our sins vpon him which tempteth no man nor can bee tempted with euill whiles we would so remoue our sinne we double it A man that knew not the power of an oath would wonder at this contrarietie in the affections of Israel They are sorry for the slaughter of Beniamin and yet they slay those that did not helpe them in the slaughter Their oath cals them to more bloud The excesse of their reuenge vpon Beniamin may not excuse the men of Gillead If euer oath might looke for a dispensation this might plead it Now they dare not but kill the men of Iabesh Gilead lest they should haue left vpon themselues a greater sin of sparing then punishing Iabesh Gilead came not vp to aid Israel therefore all the inhabitants must die To exempt our selues whether out of singularity or stubbornnesse from the common actions of the Church when we are lawfully called to them is an offence worthy of iudgement In the maine quarrels of the Church neutrals are punished This execution shall make amends for the former of the spoile of Iabesh Gilead shall the Beniaminites be stored with wiues that no
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
posteritie Happy is that childe whose progenitors are in heauen hee is left an inheritor of blessing together with estate whereas wicked ancestors lose the thanke of a rich patrimonie by the curse that attends it He that thinkes because punishment is deferd that God hath forgiuen or forgot his offence is vnacquainted with iustice and knowes not that time makes no difference in eternity The Amalekites were wicked Idolaters and therefore could not want many present sinnes which deserued their extirpation That God which had taken notice of all their offences picks out this one noted sinne of their forefathers for reuenge Amongst all their indignities this shall beare the name of their iudgement As in legall proceedings with malefactors one inditement found giues the stile of their condemnation In the liues of those which are notoriously wicked God cannot looke besides a sinne yet when he drawes to an execution he fastens his sentence vpon one euill as principall others as accessaries so as at the last one sinne which perhaps wee make no account of shall pay for all The paganish Idolatries of the Amalekites could not but bee greater sinnes to God then their hard measure to Israel yet God sets this vpon the file whiles the rest are not recorded Their superstitions might bee of ignorance this sinne was of malice Malicious wickednesses of all other as they are in greatest opposition to the goodnesse and mercy of God shall be sure of the paiment of greatest vengeance The detestation of God may be measured by his reuenge slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxe and Sheepe Camell and Asse not themselues onely but euery thing that drew life either from them or for their vse must dye When the God of mercy speakes such bloody words the prouocation must needs be vehement sinnes of infirmitie doe but mutter spightfull sinnes cry loud for iudgement in the cares of God Prepensed malice in courts of humane iustice aggrauates the murther and sharpens the sentence of death What then was this sinne of Amalek that is called vnto this late reckoning What but their enuious and vnprouoked onsets vpon the backe of Israel this was it that God tooke so to heart as that hee not onely remembers it now by Samuel but hee bids Israel euer to remember it by Moses Remember how Amalek met thee by the way and smote the hindmost of you all that were feeble behinde thee when thou wast faint and weary Besides this did Amalek meet Israel in a pitcht battell openly in Rephidim for that God payed them in the present The hand of Moses lifted vp on the Hill slew them in the Valley He therefore repeats not that quarrell but the cowardly and cruell attempts vpon an impotent enemy sticke still in the stomacke of the Almighty Oppression and wrong vpon euen termes are not so hainous vnto God as those that are vpon manifest disaduantage In the one there is an hazard of returne In the other there is euer a tyrannous insultation God takes still the weaker part and will be sure therefore to plague them which seeke to put iniuries on the vnable to resist This sinne of Amalek slept all the time of the Iudges those gouernors were onely for rescue and defence now so soone as Israel hath a King and that King is setled in peace God giues charge to call them to account It was that which God had both threatned and sworne and now he chooses out a fit season for the execution As wee vse to say of winter the iudgements of God doe neuer rot in the skie but shall fall if late yet surely yet seasonably There is small comfort in the delay of vengeance whiles we are sure it shall lose nothing in the way by length of protraction The Kenites were the off-springs of Hobad or Iethro father in law to Moses the affinitie of him to whom Israel owed their deliuerance and being was worthy of respect but it was the mercy of that good and wise Midianite shewed vnto Israel in the wildernesse by his graue aduice cheerefull gratulation and aide which wonne this gratefull forbearance of his posterity He that is not lesse in mercy then in iustice as hee challenged Amaleks sinne of their succeeding generations so he deriues the recompence of Iethro's kindnesse vnto his far descended issue Those that were vnborne many ages after Iethro's death receiue life from his dust and fauour from his hospitalitie The name of their dead grandfather saues them from the common destruction of their neighbours The seruices of our loue to Gods children are neuer thanklesse when we are dead and rotten they shall liue and procure blessings to those which neuer knew perhaps not heard of their progenitors If we sow good workes succession shall reape them and we shall be happy in making them so The Kenites dwelt in the borders of Amalek but in tents as did their issue the Rechabites so as they might remoue with ease They are warned to shift their habitations lest they should perish with ill neighbours It is the manner of God first to separate before he iudge as a good husband weeds his come ere it bee ripe for the sickle and goes to the fanne ere he goe to the fire When the Kenites packe vp their fardels it is time to expect iudgement Why should not wee imitate God and separate our selues that we may not be iudged separate not one Kenite from another but euery Kenite from among the Amalekites else if we will needs liue with Amalek we cannot thinke much to dye with him The Kenites are no sooner remoued then Saul fals vpon the Amalekites Hee destroyes all the people but spares their King The charge of God was vniuersall for man and beast In the corruption of partialitie lightly the greatest escape Couetousnesse or mis-affection are commonly guiltie of the impunitie of those which are at once most eminent in dignitie and in offence It is a shamefull hypocrisie to make our commoditie the measure and rule of our execution of Gods command and vnder pretence of godlinesse to pretend gaine The vnprofitable vulgar must die Agag may yeelda rich ransome The leane and feeble cattle that would but spend stouer and die alone shall perish by the sword of Israel the best may stocke the grounds and furnish the markets O hypocrites did God send you for gaine or for reuenge Went you to be purueyors or executioners If you plead that all those wealthy herds had been but lost in a speedy death thinke yee that hee knew not this which commanded it Can that be lost which is deuoted to the will of the owner and Creator Or can ye thinke to gaine any thing by disobedience That man can neuer either do well or farewell which thinkes there can be more profit in any thing then in his obedience to his Maker Because Saul spared the best of the men the people spared the best of the cattle each is willing to fauour other in the
Benefactors wee say onely Depart in peace warme your selues fill your bellies we shall answer for hypocriticall vncharitablenesse but if wee rare and curse those needy soules whom wee ought to releeue wee shall giue a more fearefull account of a sauage cruelty in trampling on those whome God hath humbled If healing with good words be iustly punishable what torment is there for those that wound with euill Dauid which had all this while been in the schoole of patience hath now his Lesson to seeke Hee who hath happily digested all the rayling and persecutions of a wicked Master cannot put off this affront of a Nabal Nothing can asswage his choler but bloud How subiect are the best of Gods Saints to weake passions and if wee haue the grace toward an expected blow of temptations how easily are wee surprized with a sudden soyle WHEREFORE serue these recorded weaknesses of holy men but to strengthen vs against the conscience of our infirmities Not that wee should take courage to imitate them in the euill whereunto they haue beene miscarryed But wee should take heart to our selues against the discouragement of our owne euils THE wisdome of God hath so contriued it that commonly in Societies good is mixed with euill wicked Nabal hath in his House a wise and good Seruant a a prudent and worthy Wife That wise seruant is carefull to aduertise his Mistresse of the danger his prudent Mistresse is carefull to preuent it The liues of all his family were now in hazard shee dares not commit this businesse to the fidelitie of a messenger but forgetting her sexe puts her selfe into the errand Her foot is not slow her hand is not empty According to the offence shee frames her satisfaction Her Husband refused to giue shee brings a bountifull gift her Husband gaue ill wordes shee sweetens them with a meeke and humble deprecation Her Husband could say Who is Dauid shee falles at his feete her Husband dismisses Dauids men emptie shee brings her Seruants laden with prouision as if it had bin only meant to ease the repelled Messengers of the carriage not to scant them of the required beneuolence No wit no art could deuise a more pithy and powerfull Oratory As all satisfaction so hers beginnes with a confession wherein shee deeply blameth the folly of her Husband Shee could not haue beene a good Wife if she had not honoured her vnworthy head If a stranger should haue termed him foole in her hearing hee could not haue gone away in peace Now to saue his life shee is bold to acknowledge his folly It is a good disparagement that preserueth There is the same way to our peace in heauen the only meanes to escape iudgement is to complaine of our owne vilenesse shee pleadeth her ignorance of the fact and therein her freedome from the offence shee humbly craueth acceptation of her present with pardon of the fault shee professeth Dauids honorable acts and merits shee foretels his future successe and glory shee layes before him the happy peace of his soule in refraining from innocent bloud Dauids brest which could not through the seeds of grace grow to a stubbornesse in ill resolutions cannot but relent with these powerfull and seasonable perswasions and now in steed of reuenge hee blesseth God for sending Abigail to meet him he blesseth Abigail for her counsell he blesseth the counsell for so wholsome efficacy and now reioyceth more in being ouercome with a wise and gracious aduice than he would haue reioyced in a reuengefull victory A good heart is easily stayed from sinning and is glad when it findes occasion to bee crossed in ill purposes Those secret checkes which are raised within it selfe doe readily conspire with all outward retentiues It neuer yeelded to a wicked motion without much reluctation and when it is ouercome it is but with halfe a consent whereas peruerse and obdurate Sinners by reason they take full delight in euill and haue already in their conceite swallowed the pleasure of sinne abide not to be resisted running on headily in those wicked courses they haue propounded in spight of opposition and if they bee forcibly stopped in their way they grow sullen and mutinous Dauid had not only vowed but deeply sworne the death of Nabal and all his Family to the very dogge that lay at his doore yet now hee prayseth God that hath giuen the occasion and grace to violate it Wicked Vowes are ill made but worse kept Our tongue cannot tye vs to commit sinne Good men thinke themselues happie that since they had not the grace to denie sinne yet they had not the opportunitie to accomplish it If Abigail had sit stil at home Dauid had sinned and shee had dyed Now her discreete admonition hath preserued her from the sword and diuerted him from bloud-shed And now what thankes what benedictions hath shee for this seasonable counsell How should it encourage vs to admonish our brethren to see that if wee preuaile wee haue blessings from them if wee preuaile not wee haue yet blessings from God and thankes of our owne hearts How neere was Nabal to a mischiefe and perceiues it not Dauid was comming to the foot of the hill to cut his throate while hee was feasting in his house without feare Little doe Sinners know how neere their iollitie is to perdition Many times iudgment is at the threshold whiles drunkennesse and surfet are at the boord Had hee beene any othet than a Nabal hee had not sate downe to feast till hee had beene sure of his peace with Dauid either not to expect danger or not to cleare it was sottish So foolish are carnall men that giue themselues ouer to their pleasures whiles there are deadly quarrels depending against them in Heauen There is nothing wherein wisdome is more seene than in the temperate vse of prosperitie A Nabal cannot abound but he must be drunke and surfet Excesse is a true argument of folly We vse to say that when drinke is in wit is out but if wit were not out drinke would not be in It was no time to aduise Nabal while his reason was drowned in a deluge of wine A beast or a stone is as capable of good counsell as a Drunkard Oh that the noblest Creature should so farre abase himselfe as for a little liquor to lose the vse of those faculties whereby he is a Man Those that haue to doe with drinke or phrenzy must be glad to watch times So did Abigail who the next morning presents to her Husband the view of his faults of his danger Hee then sees how neere hee was to death and felt it not That worldly minde is so apprehensiue of the death that should haue beene as that he dies to thinke that he had like to haue died Who would thinke a man could be so affected with a danger past and yet so senselesse of a future yea imminent He that was yester-nighr as a beast is now as a stone he was then ouer-merry now dead
and lumpish Carnall hearts are euer in extremitie If they bee once downe their deiection is desperate because they haue no inward comfort to mitigate their sorrow What difference there was betwixt the disposition of Dauid and Nabal How oft had Dauid beene in the valley of the shaddow of death and feared no euill Nabal is but once put in minde of a death that might haue beene and is stricken dead It is iust with God that they who liue without grace should die without comfort neither can we expect better while we goe on in our sinnes The speech of Abigail smote Nabal into a qualme that tongue had doubtlesse oft aduised him well and preuailed not now occasions his death whose reformation it could not effect shee meant nothing but his amendment God meant to make that louing instrument the meanes of his reuenge shee speakes and God strikes and within tenne dayes that swound ends in death And now Nabal payes deare for his vncharitable reproach for his riotous excesse That God which would not suffer Dauid to right himselfe by his owne Sword takes the quarrell of his Seruant into his owne hand Dauid hath now his ends without sinne reioycing in the iust executions of God who would neither suffer him to sinne in reuenging nor suffer his Aduersaries to sinne vnreuenged Our louing God is more angry with the wrongs done to his seruants than themselues can be and knowes how to punish that iustly which we could not vndertake without wronging God more than men haue wronged vs. He that saith Vengeance is mine I will repay repayes oft-times when we haue forgiuen when we haue forgotten and cals to reckoning after our discharges It is dangerous offending any Fauourite of him whose displeasure and reuenge is euerlasting How farre God lookes beyond our purposes Abigail came onely to pleade for an ill Husband and now God makes this iourney a preparation for a better So that in one act she preserued an ill Husband and wonne a good one for the future Dauid well remembers her comely person her wise speeches her gracefull carriage and now when modesty found it seasonable hee sends to sue her which had beene his Suppliant she intreated for her Husband Dauid treates with her for his Wife her request was to escape his Sword hee wisheth her to his bed It was a faire suite to change a Dauid for a Nabal to become Dauids Queene in stead of Nabals Dâ—udge shee that learned humility vnder so hard a Tutor abaseth her selfe no lesse when Dauid offers to aduance her Let thine Hand-mayde bee a Seruant to wash the feete of the Seruants of my LORD None are so fit to bee gre t as those that can stoope lowest How could Dauid bee more happy in a Wife hee findes at once Pietie Wisedome Humilitie Faithfulnesse Wealth Beautie How could Abigail bee more happie in an Husband than in the Prophet the Champion the Annointed of God Those Mariages were well made wherein Vertues are matched and Happinesse is mutuall DAVID and ACHISH GOod motions that fall into wicked hearts are like some sparkes that fall from the flint and steele into wet tinder light some for the time but soone out After Sauls teares and protestations yet he is now againe in the wildernesse with three thousand men to hunt after innocent Dauid How inuincible is the charity and loialty of an honest heart The same hand that spared Saul in the caue spares him sleeping in the field The same hand that cut away the lap of his Masters garment carried away his Speare that Speare which might as well haue carried away the life of the owner is onely borne away for a proofe of the fidelity of the bearer Still Saul is strong but Dauid victorious and triumphs ouer the malice of his persecutor Yet still the victor flieth from him whom hee hath ouercome A man that sees how farre Saul was transported with his rancorous enuy cannot but say that he was neuer more mad than when he was sober For euen after he had said Blessed art thou my sonne Dauid thou shalt doe great things and also preuaile yet still he pursues him whom he grants assured to preuaile what is this but to resolue to lose his labour in sinning and in spight of himselfe to offend How shamefull is our inequality of disposition to good We know we cannot misse of the reward of wel doing and yet doe it not whiles wicked men cast away their indeuours vpon those euill proiects whereof they are sure to faile sinne blindes the eyes and hardens the heart and thrusts men into wilfull mischiefes how euer dangerous how euer impossible and neuer leaues them till it haue brought them to vtter confusion The ouer-long continuance of a tentation may easily weary the best patience and may attaine that by protraction which it could neuer doe by violence Dauid himselfe at last beginnes to bend vnder this triall and resolues so to flie from Saul as he runnes from the Church of God and whiles he will auoid the malice of his Master ioynes himselfe with Gods enemies The greatest Saints vpon earth are not alwayes vpon the same pitch of spirituall strength He that sometimes said I will not be afraid of ten thousands now sayes I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul Hee had woont to consult with God now he sayes thus in his owne heart How many euident experiments had Dauid of Gods deliuerances how certaine and cleere predictions of his future Kingdome how infallible earnest was the holy Oyle wherewith he was annointed of the Crowne of Israel And yet Dauid said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul The best faith is but like the twy-light mixed with some degrees of darkenesse and infidelity We doe vtterly misreckon the greatest earthly holinesse if we exempt it from infirmities It is not long since Dauid told Saul that those wicked enemies of his which cast him out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord did as good as bid him Goe serue other gods yet now is hee gone from the inheritance of God into the Land of the Philistims That Saul might seeke him no more he hides himselfe out of the lists of the Church where a good man would not looke for him Once before had Dauid fled to this Achish when hee was glad to scrabble on the doores and let his spittle fall vpon his beard in a semblance of madnesse that he might escape yet now in a semblance of friendship is hee returned to saue that life which hee was in danger to haue lost in Israel Goliah the Champion of the Philistims whom Dauid slew was of Gath yet Dauid dwels with Achish King of the Philistims in Gath euen amongst them whose fore-skins hee had presented to Saul by two hundreds at once doth Dauid choose to reside for safety Howsoeuer it was a weaknesse in Dauid thus by his league of amity to strengthen the enemies of God yet doth not
and the Philistims How doth he wish now that hee had rather stood to the hazard of Sauls persecution than to haue put himselfe vpon the fauour of Achish Hee must fight on one side and on whether side soeuer he should fight hee could not auoyd to bee treacherous a condition worse than death to an honest heart which way he would haue resolued if it had comne to the execution who can know since himselfe was doubtfull either course had bin no better than desperate How could the Israelites euer haue receiued him for their King who in the open field had fought against them And contrarily if hee would haue fought against his friend for his enemy against Achish for Saul hee was now inuironed with iealous Philistims and might rather looke for the punishment of his Treason than the glory of a Victorie HIS heart had led him into these straits the Lord finds a way to leade him out The suggestions of his enemies doe herein befriend him The Princes of the Philistims whether of enuie or suspition pleade for Dauids dismission Send this fellow backe that hee may goe againe to his place which thou hast appointed him and let him not goe downe to the battle lest hee bee an Aduersary to vs. No Aduocate could haue said more himselfe durst not haue said so much Oh the wisdome and goodnesse of our God that can raise vp an Aduersary to deliuer out of those euils which our friends cannot That by the sword of an enemie can let out that Apostume which no Physician could tell how to cure It would be wide with us sometimes if it were not for others malice There could not bee a more iust question than this of the Philistim Princes What doe these Hebrewes here An Israelite is out of his element when hee is in an Armie of Philistims The true seruants of God are in their due places when they are in opposition to his enemies Profession of hostilitie becomes them better than leagues of amity Yet Achish likes Dauids conuersation and presence so well that hee professeth himselfe pleased with him as with an Angell of God How strange is it to heare that a Philistim should delight in that holy man whom an Israelite abhorres and should bee loth to be quit of Dauid whom Saul hath expelled Termes of ciuilitie be equally open to all religions to all professions The common graces of Gods children are able to attract loue from the most obstinate enemies of goodnesse If we affect them for by-respects of Valour Wisedome Discourse Wit it is their praise not ours But if for diuine Grace and Religion it is our prayse with theirs Such now was Dauids condition that he must pleade for that hee feared and argue against that which he desired What haue I done what hast thou found in thy seruant that I may not goe and fight against the enemies of my Lord the King Neuer any newes could be more cordiall to him than this of his dismission yet must he seeme to striue against it with an importunate profession of his forwardnesse to that act which hee most detested One degree of Dissimulation drawes on another those which haue once giuen way to a faulty course cannot easily either stop or turne backe but are in a sort forced to second their ill beginnings with worse proceedings It is a dangerous and miserable thing to cast our selues into those actions which draw with them a necessitie either of offending or miscarriage SAVL and the Witch of Endor EVen the worst men may sometimes make head against some sinnes Saul hath expelled the Sorcerers out of the Land of Israel and hath forbidden Magick vpon paine of death Hee that had no care to expell Satan out of his owne heart yet will seeme to driue him out of his Kingdome That wee see wicked then oppose themselues to some sinnes there is neither maruell nor comfort in it No doubt Satan made sport at this Edict of Saul what cares he to be banished in Sorcery whiles he is entertayned in malice He knew and found Saul his whiles he resisted and smiled to yeeld thus farre vnto his Vassall If we quit not all sinnes hee will bee content wee should either abandon or persecute some Where is no place for holy feare there will bee place for the seruile The gracelesse heart of Saul was astonied at the Philistims yet was neuer moued at the frownes of that God whose anger sent them nor of those sinnes of his which procured them Those that cannot feare for loue shall tremble for feare and how much better is awe than terror preuention than confusion There is nothing more lamentable than to see a man laugh when he should feare God shall laugh when such an ones feare commeth Extremitie of distresse will send euen the prophanest man to God like as the drowning man reacheth out his hand to that bough which he contemned whiles hee stood safe on the banke Saul now asketh counsell of the Lord whose Prophet hee hated whose Priests hee slew whose Annointed he persecutes Had Saul consulted with God when hee should this euill had not beene but how if this euill had not beene hee had consulted with God The thanke of this Act is due not to him but to his affection A forced piety is thanklesse and vnprofitable God will not answer him neither by Dreames nor by Vrim nor by Prophets Why should God answer that man by Dreames who had resisted him waking Why should hee answer him by Vrim that had slaine his Priests Why should he answer him by Prophets who hated the Father of the Prophets rebelled against the word of the Prophets It is an vnreasonable vnequality to hope to finde God at our command when wee would not be at his To looke that God should regard our voice in trouble when wee would not regard his in peace Vnto what mad shifts are men driuen by despayre If God will not answer Satan shall Saul said to his seruants Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirit If Saul had not knowne this course Deuillish why did he decree to banish it to mulct it with death yet now against the streame of his conscience hee will seeke to those whom he had condemned There needes no other iudge of Sauls act than himselfe had he not before opposed this sinne he had not so hainously sinned in committing it There cannot bee a more fearefull signe of an heart giuen vp to a reprobate sense than to cast it selfe wilfully into those sinnes which it hath proclaimed to detest The declinations to euill are many times insensible but when it breakes forth into such apparant effects euen others eyes may discerne it What was Saul the better to fore-know the issue of his approaching battell If this consultation could not haue strengthened him against his enemies or promoted his victory there might haue beene some colour for so foule an act Now what could he gaine but the satisfying of his bootlesse curiositie in
no leisure to sinne The idle hath neither leisure nor power to auoide sinne Exercise is not more wholsome for the bodie than for the Soule the remission whereof breeds matter of disease in bothe The water that hath beene heated soonest freezeth the most actilie spirit soonest tyreth with slackning The Earth stande still and is all dregges the Heauens euer moue and are pure We haue no reason to complaine of the assiduitie of worke the toyle of action is answered by the benefit If wee did lesse we should suffer more Satan like an idle companion if hee finde vs busie flyes backe and sees it no time to entertayne vaine purposes with vs We cannot please him better than by casting away our worke to hold that with him wee cannot yeeld so farre and be guiltlesse Euen Dauids eyes haue no sooner the sleepe rubbed â—ut of them than they roue to wanton prospects Hee walkes vpon his roofe and sees Bathsheba washing her selfe inquires after her sends for her sollicits her to vncleanenesse The same spirit that shut vp his eyes in on vnseasonable sleepe opens them vpon an intising obiect whiles sinne hath such a Solliciter it cannot want either meanes or opportunitie I cannot thinke Bathsheba could bee so immodest as to wash her selfe openly especially from her naturall vncleannesse Lust is quick-sighted Dauid hath espied her where shee could espye no beholder His eyes recoyle vpon his heart and haue smitten him with sinfull desire There can be no safetie to that Soule where the senses are let loose Hee can neuer keepe his couenant with God that makes not a couenant with his eyes It is an idle presumption to thinke the outward man may bee free whiles the inward is safe He is more than a man whose heart is not led by his eyes hee is no regenerate man whose eyes are not restrained by his heart Oh Bathsheba how wert thou washed from thine vncleannesse when thou yeeldedst to goe into an adulterous bed neuer wert thou so foule as now when thou wert new washed The worst of Nature is cleanlinesse to the best of sinne thou hadst beene cleane if thou hadst not washed yet for thee I know how to plead infirmitie of sexe and the importunitie of a King But what shall I say for thee O thou royall Prophet and Propheticall King of Israel where shall I finde ought to extenuate that crime for which God himselfe hath noted thee Did not thine holy Profession teach thee to abhorre such a sinne more than death Was not thy Iustice woont to punish this sinne with no lesse than death Did not thy very calling call thee to a protection and preseruation of Iustice of Chastitie in thy subiects Didst thou want store of Wiues of thine owne wert thou restrayned from taking more Was there no beautie in Israel but in a Subiects Marriage-bed Wert thou ouercome by the vehement sollicitations of an Adulteresse Wert thou not the Tempter the Prosecutor of this vncleanenesse I should accuse thee deeply if thou hadst not accused thy selfe Nothing wanted to greaten thy sinne or our wonder and feare O God whither doe wee goe if thou stay vs not Who euer amongst the millions of thy Seruants could finde himselfe furnished with stronger preseruatiues against sinne Against whom could such a sinne finde lesse pretence of preuayling Oh keepe thou vs that presumptuous sinnes preuayle not ouer vs So only shall wee bee free from great offences The Suites of Kings are Imperatiue Ambition did now proue a Bawd to Lust Bathsheba yeeldeth to offend God to dishonour her Husband to clog and wound her owne Soule to abuse her bodie Dishonestie growes bold when it is countenanced with greatnesse Eminent persons had need be carefull of their demaunds they sinne by authoritie that are solicited by the mightie Had Bathsheba beene mindfull of her Matrimoniall fidelitie perhaps Dauid had beene soone checked in his inordinate desire her facilitie furthers the sinne The first motioner of euill is most faultie but as in quarrels so in offences the second blow which is the consent makes the fray Good Ioseph was moued to folly by his great and beautifull Mistris this fire fell vpon wet Tinder and therefore soone went out Sinne is not acted alone if but one partie be wise both escape It is no excuse to say I was tempted though by the great though by the holy and learned Almost all sinners are misse-led by that transformed Angell of light The action is that wee must regard not the person Let the mouer bee neuer so glorious if he stirre vs to euill he must be entertained with defiance The God that knowes how to rayse good out of euill blesses an adulterous copulation with that increase which he denyes to the chast imbracements of honest Wedlocke Bathsheba hath conceiued by Dauid and now at once conceiues a sorrow and care how to smother the shame of her Conception He that did the fact must hide it Oh Dauid where is thy Repentance Where is thy tendernesse and compunction of heart Where are those holy Meditations which had woont to take vp thy Soule Alas in steed of clearing thy sinne thou labourest to cloke it and spendest those thoughts in the concealing of thy wickednesse which thou shouldest rather haue bestowed in preuenting it The best of Gods Children may not onely bee drenched in the waues of sinne but lye in them for the time and perhaps sinke twice to the bottome what Hypocrite could haue done worse than studie how to couer the face of his sinne from the eyes of men whiles hee regarded not the sting of sinne in his Soule As there are some Acts wherein the Hypocrite is a Saint so there are some wherein the greatest Saint vpon Earth may bee an Hypocrite Saul did thus goe about to colour his sinne and is cursed The Vessels of Mercie and Wrath are not euer distinguishable by their actions Hee makes the difference that will haue mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth It is rare and hard to commit a single sinne Dauid hath abused the Wife of Vriah now hee would abuse his person in causing him to father a false seede That worthy Hittite is sent for from the Wars and now after some cunning and farre fetcht Questions is dismissed to his house not without a present of fauour Dauid could not but imagine that the beautie of his Bathsheba must needs bee attractiue enough to an Husband whom long absence in Warres had with-held all that while from so pleasing a Bed neyther could hee thinke that since that face and those brests had power to allure himselfe to an vnlawfull lust it could be possible that Vriah should not bee inuited by them to an allowed and warrantable fruition That Dauids heart might now the rather strike him in comparing the chaste resolutions of his Seruant with his owne light incontinence good Vriah sleepes at the doore of the Kings Palace making choice of a stonie Pillow vnder the Canopie of Heauen rather
a Traytor to his friend the host of God must shamefully turne their backes vpon the Ammonites all that Israelitish bloud must bee shed that murder must be seconded with dissimulation and all this to hide one adultery O God thou hadst neuer suffered so deare a Fauourite of thine to fall so fearefully if thou hadst not meant to make him an vniuersall example to Mankind of not presuming of not despairing How can wee presume of not sinning or despayre for sinning when wee finde so great a Saint thus fallen thus risen NATHAN and DAVID YEt Bathsheba mourned for the death of that Husband whom she had beene drawne to dishonour How could shee bestow teares enow vpon that Funerall whereof her sinne was the cause If shee had but a suspicion of the plot of his death the Fountaines of her eyes could not yeeld water enough to wash off her Husbands bloud Her sin was more worthy of sorrow than her losse If this griefe had beene right placed the hope of hiding her shame and the ambition to bee a Queene had not so soone mittigated it neyther had shee vpon any termes beene drawne into the Bed of her husbands murtherer Euery gleame of earthly comfort can dry vp the teares of worldly sorrow Bathsheba hath soone lost her griefe at the Court The remembrance of an Husband is buried in the ioyliltie and state of a Princesse Dauid securely enioyes his ill-purchased loue and is content to exchange the conscience of his sinne for the sense of his pleasure But the iust and holy God will not put it vp so hee that hates sinne so much the more as the offender is more deare to him will let Dauid feele the bruise of his fall If Gods best Children haue beene sometimes suffered to sleepe in a sinne at last he hath awakened them in a fright Dauid was a Prophet of God yet hee hath not only stept into these foule sinnes but soiournes with them If any profession or state of life could haue priuiledged from sinne the Angels had not sinned in Heauen nor man in Paradise Nathan the Prophet is sent to the Prophet Dauid for reproofe for conuiction Had it beene any other mans case none could haue beene more quick sighted than the Princely Prophet in his owne hee is so blinde that God is faine to lend him others eyes Euen the Phisician himself when hee is sick sends for the counsell of those whom his health did mutually aid with aduice Let no man thinke himselfe too good to learne Teachers themselues may bee taught that in their owne particular which in a generalitie they haue often taught others It is not only ignorance that is to be remoued but mis-affection Who can prescribe a iust period to the best mans repentance About tenne moneths are passed since Dauids sinne in all which time I finde no newes of any serious compunction It could not bee but some glances of remorse must needs haue passed thorough his Soule long ere this but a due and solemne contrition was not heard of till Nathans message and perhaps had beene further adiourned if that Monitor had beene longer deferred Alas what long and dead sleepes may the holyest Soule take in fearefull sinnes Were it not for thy mercie O God the best of vs should end our spirituall Lethargie in sleepe of death It might haue pleased God as easily to haue sent Nathan to checke Dauid in his first purpose of sinning So had his eyes beene restrayned Bathsheba honest Vriah aliue with honour now the wisdome of the Almightie knew how to winne more glorie by the permission of so foule an euill than by the preuention yea he knew how by the permission of one sinne to preuent millions how many thousand had sinned in a vaine presumption on their owne strength if Dauid had not thus offended how many thousand had despiared in the conscience of their owne weaknesses if these horrible sinnes had not receiued forgiuenesse It is happy for all times that we haue so holy a Sinner so sinfull a penitent It matters not how bitter the Pill is but how well wrapped so cunningly hath Nathan conueyed this dose that it begins to worke ere it be tasted there is no one thing wherein is more vse of wisdome than the due contriuing of a reprehension which in a discreet deliuerie helps the disâ—â—se in an vnwise destroyes Nature Had not Nathan beene vsed to the possession of Dauids care this complaint had beene suspected It well beseemes a King to take information by a Prophet Whiles wise Nathan was querulously discoursing of the cruell rich man that had forceably taken away the only Lambe of his poore Neighbour how willingly doth Dauid listen to the Storie and how sharply euen aboue Law doth he censure the fact As the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely dye Full little did he thinke that he had pronounced sentence against himselfe It had not beene so heauie if he had not knowne on whom it should haue light Wee haue open eares and quick tongues to the vices of others How seuere Iusticers wee can bee to our very owne crimes in others persons How flattering Parasites to anothers crime in our selues The life of doctrine is in application Nathan might haue bin long enough in his narration in his inuectiue ere Dauid would haue bin touched with his owne guiltinesse but now that the Prophet brings the Word home to his bosome hee cannot but be affected Wee may take pleasure to heare men speake in the Cloudes we neuer take profit till wee finde a proprietie in the exhortation or reproofe There was not more cunning in the Parable than courage in the application Thou art the man If Dauid be a King he may not looke not to heare of his faults Gods messages may be no other than vnpartiall It is a trecherous flattery in diuine errands to regard greatnesse If Prophets must bee mannerly in the forme yet in the matter of reproofe resolute The words are not their owne They are but the Heralds of the King of Heauen Thus saith the Lord God of Israel How thunder-stricken doe we thinke Dauid did now stand How did the change of his colour bewray the confusion in his Soule whiles his conscience said the same within which the Prophet sounded in his eare And now least ought should be wanting to his humiliation all Gods former fauours shall be laid before his eyes by way of exprobration He is worthy to be vpbrayded with mercies that hath abused mercies vnto wantonnesse whiles we doe well God giues and sayes nothing when we doe ill hee layes his benefits in our dish and casts them in our teeth that our shame may be so much the more by how much our obligations haue bin greater The blessings of God in our vnworthy carriage proue but the aggrauations of sinne and additions to iudgement I see all Gods Children falling into sinne some of them lying in sinne none of them maintayning their sinne Dauid
cannot haue the heart or the face to stand out against the message of God but now as a man confounded and condemned in himselfe he cryes out in the bitternesse of a wounded Soule I haue sinned against the Lord. It was a short word but passionate and such as came from the bottome of a contrite heart The greatest griefes are not most verball Saul confessed his sinne more largely lesse effectually God cares not for phrases but for affections The first piece of our amends to God for sinning is the acknowledgement of sinne He can doe little that in a iust offence cannot accuse himselfe If wee cannot bee so good as we would it is reason wee should doe God so much right as to say how euill we are And why was not this done sooner It is strange to see how easily sin gets into the heart how hardly it gets out of the mouth Is it because sinne like vnto Satan where it hath got possession is desirous to hold it and knowes that it is fully eiected by a free confession or because in a guiltinesse of deformitie it hides it selfe in the brest where it is once entertayned and hates the light or because the tongue is so fee'd with selfe-loue that it is loath to be drawne vnto any verdict against the heart or hands or is it out of an idle misprision of shame which whiles it should be placed in offending is misplaced in disclosing of our offence Howeuer sure I am that God hath need euen of rackes to draw out confessions and scarce in death it selfe are we wrought to a discouery of our errors There is no one thing wherein our folly shewes it selfe more than in these hurtfull concealements Contrary to the proceedings of humane Iustice it is with God Confesse and liue no sooner can Dauid say I haue sinned than Nathan inferres The Lord also hath put away thy sinne He that hides his sins shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie Who would not accuse himselfe to bee aquittted of God O God who would not tell his wickednesse to thee that knowest it better than his owne heart that his heart may be eased of that wicednesse which being not told killeth Since we haue sinned why should wee bee niggardly of that action wherein we may at once giue glory to thee and reliefe to our soules Dauid had sworne in a zeale of Iustice that the rich Oppressor for but taking his poore Neighbours Lambe should dye the death God by Nathan is more fauourable to Dauid than to take him at his word Thou shalt not dye O the maruellous power of repentance Besides adultery Dauid had shed the bloud of innocent Vriah The strict Law was Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth Hee that smiteth with the Sword shall perish with the Sword Yet as if a penitent confession had dispensed with the rigour of Iustice now God sayes Thou shalt not dye Dauid was the voyce of the Law awarding death vnto sinne Nathan was the voyce of the Gospell awarding life vnto the repentance for sinne Whatsoeuer the sore be neuer any soule applyed this remedie and dyed neuer any soule escaped death that applyed it not Dauid himselfe shall not dye for this fact but his mis-begotten childe shall dye for him Hee that said The Lord hath put away thy sinne yet said also The Sword shall not depart from thine house The same mouth with one breath pronounces the sentence both of absolution and death Absolution to the Person Death to the Issue Pardon may well stand with temporall afflictions Where God hath forgiuen though hee doth not punish yet he may chastize and that vnto bloud neither doth hee alwayes forbeare correction where hee remits reuenge So long as hee smites vs not as an angry Iudge wee may indure to smart from him as a louing Father Yet euen this Rod did Dauid deprecate with teares How faine would hee shake off so easie a lode The Childe is striken the Father fasts and prayes and weepes and lyes all night vpon the Earth and abhorres the noyse of comfort That Childe which was the fruit and monument of his odious adultery whom hee could neuer haue looked vpon without recognition of his sinne in whose face hee could not but haue still read the records of his owne shame is thus mourned for thus sued for It is easie to obserue that good man ouer-passionately affected to his Children Who would not haue thought that Dauid might haue held himselfe well appayd that his soule escaped an eternall death his bodie a violent though God should punish his sinne in that Childe in whome hee sinned Yet euen against this crosse he bends his Prayers as if nothing had beene forgiuen him There is no Childe that would be scourged if hee might escape for crying No affliction is for for the time other than grieuous neither is therefore yeelded vnto without some kinde of reluctation Farre yet was it from the heart of Dauid to make any opposition to the will of God hee sued he struggled not There is no impatience in entreaties Hee well knew that the threats of temporall euils ranne commonly with a secret condition and therefore might perhaps bee auoyded by humble importunitie if any meanes vnder Heauen can auert iudgments it is our Prayers God could not chuse but like well the boldnesse of Dauids saith who after the apprehension of so heauie a displeasure is so far from doubting of the forgiuenesse of his sinne that hee dares become a Sutor vnto God for his sicke child Sinne doth not make vs more strange than Faith confident But it is not in the power of the strongest Faith to preserue vs from all afflictions After all Dauids prayers and teares the Childe must dye The carefull seruants dare but whisper this sad newes They who had found their Master so auerse from the motion of comfort in the sicknesse of the Childe feared him vncapable of comfort in his death Suspition is quick-witted Euery occasion makes vs misdoubt that euent which wee feare This secrecie proclaymes that which they were so loath to vtter Dauid perceiues his Childe dead and now hee rises vp from the Earth whereon hee lay and washes himselfe and changeth his apparell and goes first into Gods House to worship and into his owne to eate now hee refuses no comfort who before would take none The issue of things doth more fully shew the will of God than the prediction God neuer did any thing but what hee would hee hath sometimes foretold that for tryall which his secret will intended not hee would foretell it hee would not effect it because hee would therefore fore-tell it that hee might not effect it His predictions of outward euils are not alwayes absolute his actions are Dauid well sees by the euent what the Decree of God was concerning his Childe which now hee could not striue against without a vaine impatience Till wee know the determinations of the Almightie it is free
Amnon procures the iniustice of Absalom in punishing Amnon with Murder That which the Father should haue iustly reuenged and did not the Sonne reuenges vniustly The Rape of a Sister was no lesse worthy of death than the Murder of a Brother Yea this latter sinne was therefore the lesse because that Brother was worthy of death though by another hand whereas that Sister was guiltie of nothing but modest beautie yet he that knew this Rape passed ouer whole two yeares with impunitie dares not trust the mercie of a Father in the pardon of his Murder but for three yeares hides his head in the Court of his Grand-father the King of Geshur Doubtlesse that Heathenish Prince gaue him a kind welcome for so meritorious a reuenge of the dishonour done to his owne Loynes No man can tell how Absalom should haue sped from the hands of his otherwise ouer-indulgent Father if he had beene apprehended in the heat of the fact Euen the largest loue may be ouer-strayned and may giue a fall in the breaking These fearefull effects of lenity might perhaps haue whetted the seueritie of Dauid to shut vp these outrages in bloud Now this displeasure was weakned with age Time and thoughts haue digested this hard morsell Dauids heart told him that his hands had a share in this offence that Absalom did but giue that stroke which himselfe had wrongfully forborne that the vnrecouerable losse of one Sonne would be but wofully relieued with the losse of another Hee therefore that in the newes of the deceased Infant could change his clothes and wash himselfe and cheere vp his spirits with the resolution of I shall goe to him hee shall not returne to me comforts himselfe concerning Amnon and begins to long for Absalom THOSE three yeares banishment seemed not so much a punishment to the Son as to the Father Now Dauid beginnes to forgiue himselfe yet out of his wisedome so inclines to fauour that he conceales it and yet so conceales it that it may be descryed by a cunning eye If he had cast out no glances of affection there had beene no hopes for his Absalom if he had made profession of loue after so foule an Act there had beene no safetie for others now he lets fall so much secret grace as may both hold vp Absalom in the life of his hopes and not hearten the presumption of others GOOD Eyes see light thorow the smallest chinke The wit of Ioab hath sooone discerned Dauids reserued affection and knowes how to serue him in that which hee would and would not accomplish and now deuises how to bring into the light that birth of Desire whereof hee knew Dauid was both bigge and ashamed A woman of Tekoah that Sex hath beene euer held more apt for wiles is suborned to personate a mourner and to say that by way of Parable which in plaine termes would haue sounded too harshly and now whiles shee lamentably layes forth the losse and danger of her Sonnes she shewes Dauid his owne and whiles shee mooues compassion to her pretended Issue she winnes Dauid to a pittie of himselfe and a fauourable sentence for Absalom We loue our selues better than others but we see others better than our selues who so would perfectly know his owne case let him view it in anothers person PARABLES sped well with Dauid One drew him to repent of his owne sinne another to remit Absaloms punishment And now as glad to heare this Plea and willing to bee perswaded vnto that which if hee durst hee would haue sought for he gratifies Ioab with the grant of that suite which Ioab more gratified him in suing for Goe bring againe the young man ABSALOM How glad is Ioab that hee hath light vpon one Act for which the Sun both setting and rising should shine vpon him and now he speeds to Geshur to fetch backe Absalom to Ierusalem hee may bring the long-banished Prince to the Citie but to the Court he may not bring him Let him turne to his owne house and let him not see my face THE good King hath so smarted with mercie that now hee is resolued vpon austeritie and will relent but by degrees It is enough for Absalom that hee liues and may now breathe his natiue ayre Dauids face is no obiect for the eyes of a Murtherer What a Deareling this Sonne was to his Father appeares in that after an vnnaturall and barbarous rebellion passionate Dauid wishes to haue changed liues with him yet now whiles his bowels yearned his brow frowned The face may not bee seene where the heart is set THE best of Gods Saints may bee blinded with affection but when they shall once see their errors they are carefull to correct them Wherefore serues the power of Grace but to subdue the insolencies of nature It is the wisedome of Parents as to hide their hearts from their best children so to hide their countenances from the vngracious Fleshly respects may not abate their rigour to the ill deseruing For the Childe to see all his Fathers loue it is enough to make him wanton and of wanton wicked For a wicked Child to see any of his Fathers loue it emboldens him in euill and drawes on others ABSALOMS house is made his Prison Iustly is hee confined to the place which he had stayned with bloud Two yeares doth hee liue in Ierusalem without the happinesse of his Fathers sight It was enough for Dauid and him to see the smoke of each others Chimnies In the meane time how impatient is Absalom of this absence Hee sends for Ioab the Soliciter of his returne So hard an hand doth wise and holy Dauid carry ouer his reduced Sonne that his friendly Intercessor Ioab dares not visit him HE that afterwards kindled that seditious fire ouer all Israel sets fire now on the field of Ioab whom loue cannot draw to him feare and anger shall Continued displeasure hath made Absalom desperate Fiue yeares are passed since hee saw the face of his Father and now is hee no lesse weary of his life than of this delay Wherefore am I come downe from Geshur It had beene better for mee to haue beene there still Now therefore let mee see the Kings face and if there bee any iniquitie in mee let him kill mee Either banishment or death seemed as tolerable to him as the debarring of his Fathers sight WHAT a torment shall it be to the wicked to be shut out for euer from the presence of a God without all possible hopes of recouery This was but a Father of the flesh by whom if Absalom liued at first yet in him he liued not yea not without him onely but against him that Sonne found he could liue God is the Father of Spirits in whom wee so liue that without him can bee no life no being to bee euer excluded from him in whom wee liue and are what can it bee but an eternall dying an eternall perishing If in thy presence O God be the fulnesse of ioy in
Ruler intreated him for his sonne I Come downe ere hee dye our Sauiour sâ—ird not a foote The Centurion did but complaine of the sicknesse of his Seruant and Christ vnasked sayes I will come and heale him That hee might bee farre from so much as seeming to honour wealth and dispise meanesse he that came in the shape of a Seruant would goe downe to the sicke Seruants pallet would not goe to the Bed of the rich Rulers Sonne It is the basest motiue of respect that ariseth meerely from outward greatnesse Either more grace or more need may iustly challenge our fauourable regards no lesse than priuate Obligations Euen so O Sauiour that which thou offenedst to doe for the Centurions Seruant hast thou done for vs Wee were sicke vnto death So farre had the dead palsie of sinne ouer-taken vs that there was no life of grace left in vs When thou wert not content to sit still in heauen and say I will cure them but addedst also I will come and cure them Thy selfe came downe accordingly to this miserable World and hast personally healed vs So as now wee shall not dye but liue and declare thy workes O Lord And oh that wee could enough prayse that loue and mercie which hath so graciously abased thee and could be but so low deiected before thee as thou hast stooped low vnto vs that wee could be but as lowly subiects of thy goodnesse as we are vnworthy Oh admirable returne of Humilitie Christ will goe downe to visit the sicke Seruant the Master of that Seruant sayes Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe The Iewish Elders that went before to mediate for him could say Hee is worthy that thou shouldest doe this for him but the Centurion when hee comes to speake for himselfe I am not worthy They said Hee was worthy of Christs miracle Hee sayes hee is vnworthy of Christs presence There is great difference betwixt others valuations and our owne Sometimes the world vnder-rates him that findes reason to set an high price vpon himselfe Sometimes againe it ouer values a man that knowes iust cause of his owne humiliation If others mistake vs this can bee no warrant for our errour We cannot bee wise vnlesse we receiue the knowledge of our selues by direct beames not by reflection vnlesse we haue learned to contemne vniust applauses and scorning the flatterie of the World to frowne vpon our owne vilenesse Lord I am not worthy Many a one if he had bin in the Centurions coate would haue thought well of it A Captaine a man of good abilitie and command a founder of a Synagogue a Patron of Religion yet hee ouer-lookes all these and when hee casts his eye vpon the diuine worth of Christ and his owne weaknesse hee sayes I am not worthy Alas Lord I am a Gentile an Alien a man of bloud thou art holy thou art omnipotent True Humilitie will teach vs to finde out the best of another and the worst piece of our selues Pride contrarily shewes vs nothing but matter of admiration in our selues in others of contempt Whiles hee confest himselfe vnworthy of any fauour hee approued himselfe worthy of all Had not Christ beene before in his heart he could not haue thought himselfe vnworthy to entertayne that Guest within his house Vnder the low roofe of an humble brest doth God euer delight to dwell The state of his Palace may not be measured by the height but by the depth Brags and boldfaces doe oft-times carry it away with men nothing preuayles with God but our voluntary deiections It is fit the foundations should be layd deepe where the building is high The Centurions Humilitie was not more low than his faith was lofty that reaches vp into Heauen and in the face of humane weaknesse descryes Omnipotence Onely say the word and my Seruant shall be whole Had the Centurions roofe beene Heauen it selfe it could not haue beene worthy to bee come vnder of him whose Word was Almighty and who was the Almightie Word of his Father Such is Christ confessed by him that sayes Only say the worde none but a diuine Power is vnlimited neither hath Faith any other bounds than God himselfe There needs no footing to remoue Mountaynes or Deuils but a word doe but say the word O Sauiour my sinne shall bee remitted my soule shall bee healed my body shall be raysed from dust both soule and body shall be glorious Whereupon then was the steddie confidence of the good Centurion â—ee saw how powerfull his owne word was with those that were vnder his command though himselfe were vnder the command of another the force whereof extended euen to absent performances well therefore might he argue that a free and vnbounded power might giue infallible commands and that the most obstinate Disease must therefore needs yeeld to the becke of the God of nature weaknesse may shew vs what is in strength By one drop of water wee may see what is in the mayne Ocean I maruell not if the Centurion were kind to his Seruants for they were dutifull to him hee can but say Doe this and it is done these mutuall respects draw on each other cheerefull and diligent seruice in the one cals for a due and fauourable care in the other they that neglect to please cannot complaine to be neglected Oh that I could bee but such a Seruant to mine heauenly Master Alas euery of his commands sayes Doe this and I doe it not Euery of his inhibitions sayes Doe it not and I doe it Hee sayes goe from the World I runne to it hee sayes Come to mee I runne from him Woe is mee this is not seruice but enmity How can I looke for fauour whiles I returne rebellion It is a gracious Master whom wee serue there can be no duty of ours that hee sees not that hee acknowledges not that hee crownes not wee could not but bee happy if wee could bee officious What can be more maruellous than to see Christ maruell All maruelling supposes an ignorance going before and aâ—knowledge following some accident vnexpected now who wrought this Faith in the Centurion but hee that wondred at it He knew well what hee wroughâ— because he wrought what he would yet he wondred at what he both wrought and knew to teach vs much more to admire that which hâ—e at once knowes and holds admirable He wrought this faith as God hee wondred at it as man God wrought and man admired hee that was both did both to teach vs where to bestow our wonder I neuer finde Christ wondring at Gold or Siluer at the costly and curious workes of humane skill or industry Yea when the Disciples wondred at the magnificence of the Temple he rebuked them rather I finde him not wondring at the frame of Heauen and Earth nor at the orderly disposition of all creatures and euents the familiaritie of these things intercepts the admiration But when hee sees the grace or acts of faith hee
our pride and false confidence in earthly things then with a fleshly criâ—â— though hainously seconded It was an hard and wofull choise of three yeares famine added to three fore-past or of three moneths flight from the sword of an enemie or three dayes pestilence The Almighty that had fore-determined his iudgement referres it to Dauids will as fully as if it were vtterly vndetermined God hath resolued yet Dauid may choose That infinite wisdome hath foreseene the very will of his creature which whiles it freely inclines it selfe to what it had rather vnwittingly wils that which was fore appointed in heauen We doe well beleeue thee O Dauid that thou wert in a wonderfull strait this very liberty is no other then fetters Thou needst not haue famine thou needst not haue the sword thou needst not haue pestilence one of them thou must haue There is misery in all there is misery in any thou and thy people can die but once and once they must dye either by famine warre or pestilence Oh God how vainely doe we hope to passe ouer our sinnes with impunitie when all the fauour that Dauid and Israel can receiue is to choose their bane Yet behold neither sinnes nor threats nor feares can bereaue a true penitent of his faith Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great There can bee no euill of punishment wherein God haue not an hand there could be no famine no sword without him but some euils are more immediate from a diuine stroke such was that plague into which Dauid is vnwillingly willing to fall He had his choyce of dayes moneths yeares in the same number and though the shortnesse of time prefixed to the threatned pestilence might seeme to offer some aduantage for the leading of his election yet God meant and Dauid knew it herein to proportion the difference of time to the violence of the plague neither should any fewer perish by so few dayes pestilence then by so many yeares famine The wealthiest might auoid the dearth the swiftest might runne away from the sword no man could promise himselfe safety from that pestilence In likelihood Gods Angell would rather strike the most guilty Howeuer therefore Dauid might well looke to be inwrapped in the common destruction yet he rather chooseth to fall into that mercy which hee had abused and to suffer from that iustice which he had prouoked Let vs now fall into the hands of the Lord. Humble confessions and deuout penance cannot alwayes auert temporall iudgements Gods Angell is abroad and within that short compasse of time sweepes away seuenty thousand Israelites Dauid was proud of the number of his subiects now they are abated that he may see cause of humiliation in the matter of his glory In what we haue offended we commonly smart These thousands of Israel were not so innocent that they should onely perish for Dauids sinne Their sinnes were the motiues both of this sinne and punishment besides the respect of Dauids offence they die for themselues It was no ordinarie pestilence that was thus suddenly and vniuersally mortall Common eyes saw the botch and the markes saw not the Angell Dauids clearer sight hath espyed him after that killing peragration through the Tribes of Israel shaking his sword ouer Ierusalem and houering ouer Mount Sion and now hee who doubtlesse had spent those three dismall dayes in the saddest contrition humbly casts himselfe downe at the feet of the auenger and layes himselfe ready for the fatall stroke of iustice It was more terrour that God intended in the visible shape of his Angell and deepeâ— humiliation and what he meant he wrought Neuer soule could be more deiected more anguished with the sense of a iudgement in the bitternesse whereof hee cryes out Behold I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly But these Sheepe what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house The better any man is the more sensible he is of his owne wretchednesse Many of those Sheepe were Wolues to Dauid What had they done They had done that which was the occasion of Dauids sinne and the cause of their owne punishment But that gracious penitent knew his owne sinne he knew not theirs and therefore can say I haue sinned What haue they done It is safe accusing where wee may be boldest and are best acquainted our selues Oh the admirable charitie of Dauid that would haue ingrossed the plague to himselfe and his house from the rest of Israel and sues to interpose himselfe betwixt his people and the vengeance He that had put himselfe vpon the pawes of the Beare and Lyon for the rescue of his Sheepe will now cast himselfe vpon the sword of the Angell for the preseruation of Israel There was hope in those conflicts in this yeeldance there could be nothing but death Thus didst thou O sonne of Dauid the true and great Shepheard of thy Church offer thy selfe to death for them who had their hands in thy blood who both procured thy death and deserued their owne Here he offered himselfe that had sinned for those whom he professed to haue not done euill thou that didst no sinne vouchsauest to offer thy selfe for vs that were all sinne Hee offered and escaped thou offeredst and diedst and by thy death we liue and are freed from euerlasting destruction But O Father of all mercies how little pleasure doest thou take in the blood of sinners it was thine owne pitie that inhibited the Destroyer Ere Dauid could see the Angell thou hadst restrained him It is sufficient hold now thy hand If thy compassion did not both with-hold and abridge thy iudgements what place were there for vs out of hell How easie and iust had it beene for God to haue made the shutting vp of that third euening red with blood his goodnes repents of the slaughter and cals for that Sacrifice wherewith he will be appeased An Altar must be built in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite Lo in that very Hill where the Angell held the sword of Abraham from killing his Sonne doth God now hold the Sword of the Angel from killing his people Vpon this very ground shall the Temple after stand heere shall be the holy Altar which shall send vp the acceptable oblations of Gods people in succeeding generations O God what was the threshing-floore of a Iebusite to thee aboue all other soyles What vertue what merit was in this earth As in places so in persons it is not to bee heeded what they are but what thou wilt That is worthiest which thou pleasest to accept Rich and bountifull Araunah is ready to meet Dauid in so holy a motion and munificently offers his Sion for the place his Oxen for the Sacrifice his Carts Ploughs and other Vtensils of his Husbandry for the wood Two franke hearts are well met Dauid would buy Araunah would giue The Iebusite would not sell Dauid will not take Since it was for
that holy vse an hundred thousand talents of gold a thousand thousand talents of siluer besides brasse and yron passing weight Hee weighes out those precious metalls for their seuerall designements Euery future vessell is laid out already in his poise if not in his forme Hee excites the Princes of Israel to their assistance in so high a worke He takes notice of their bountifull offerings He numbers vp the Leuites for the publique seruice and sets them their taskes Hee appoints the Singers and other Musitians to their stations the Porters to the Gates that should be And now when he hath set all things in a desired order and forwardnesse he shuts vp with a zealous blessings of his Salomon and his people and sleepes with his fathers Oh blessed soule how quiet a possession hast thou now taken after so many tumults of a better Crowne Thou that hast prepared all things for the house of thy God how happily art thou now welcomed to that house of his not made with hands eternall in the heauens Who now shall enuie vnto good Princes the honour of ouerseeing the businesses of God and his Church when Dauid was thus punctuall in these diuine prouisions What feare can bee of vsurpation where they haue so glorious a precedent Now is Salomon the second time crowned King of Israel and now in his owne right as formerly in his fathers sits peaceably vpon the Throne of the Lord His awe and power comâ— on faster then his yeeres Enuie and ambition where it is once kindled may sooner be hid in the ashes then quite put out Adonijah yet hangs after his old hopes He remembers how sweet he found the name of a King and now hath laid a new plot for the setting vp of his crackt title He would make the bed a step to the throne His old complices are sure enough His part would gather much strength if he might inioy Abishag the relict of his father to wife If it were not the Iewish fashion as is pretended that a Kings widow should mary none but a King yet certainly the power both of the alliance and friendship of a Queene must needes not a little aduance his purpose The crafty riuall dare not either moue the suit to Salomon or effect the mariage without him but would cunningly vndermine the sonne by the suit of that mother whose suit had vndermined him The weaker vessells are commonly vsed in the most dangerous suggestions of euill Bathsheba was so wise a woman that some of her counsels are canonized for diuine yet she saw not the depth of this drift of Adonijah therefore she both entertaines the suit and moues it But what euer were the intent of the suitor could she choose but see the vnlawfulnesse of so incestuous a match It is not long since shee saw her late husband Dauid abominating the bed of those his Concubines that had been touched by his sonne Absalom and can she hold it lawfull that his sonne Adonijah should climb vp to the bed of his fathers wife Sometimes euen the best eyes are dimme and discerne not those things which are obuious to weaker sights Or whether did not Bathsheba well see the foulenesse of the suit and yet in compassion of Adonijahs late repulse wherein she was the chiefe agent and in a desire to make him amends for the losse of the Kingdome she yeelds euen thus to gratifie him It is an iniurious weakenesse to bee drawne vpon any by-respects to the furtherance of faulty suits of vnlawfull actions No sooner doth Bathsheba come in place then Salomon her sonne rises from his chaire of State and meets her and bowes to her and sets her on his right hand as not so remembring himselfe to be a King that he should forget he was a sonne No outward dignity can take away the rights and obligations of nature Had Bathsheba beene as meane as Salomon was mighty she had caried away this honor from a gracious sonne Yet for all these due complements Bathsheba goes away with a deniall Reuerence she shall haue she shall not haue a condescent In the acts of Magistracie all regards of naturall relations must giue way That which she propounded as a small request is now after a generall and confused ingagement reiected as vnreasonable It were pity wee should bee heard in all our suits Bathsheba makes a petition against herselfe and knowes it not her safetie and life depends vpon Salomons raign yet she vnwittingly moues for the aduancement of Adonijah Salomon was to dutifull too checke his mother and too wise to yeeld to her In vnfit supplications wee are most heard when we are repelled Thus doth our God many times answer our prayers with mercifull denialls and most blesseth vs in crossing our desires Wise Salomon doth not find himselfe perplexed with the scruple of his promise he that had said Aske on for I will not say thee nay can now sweare God doe so to mee and more also if Adonijah haue not spoken this word against his owne life His promise was according to his supposition his supposition was of no other then of a suit honest reasonable expedient now he holds himselfe free from that grant wherein there was at once both sin and danger No man can be intangled with generall words against his owne iust and honest intentions The policies of wicked men befoole them at last this intercession hath vndone Adonijah and in stead of the Throne hastens his graue The sword of Benaiah puts an end to that dangerous riuality Ioab and Abiathar still held Champerty with Adonijah Their hand was both in his claime of the Kingdome and in the suit of Abishag There are crimes wherein there are no accessories such is thâ—â— of treason Abiathar may thanke his burden that he liues Had he not borne the Arke of the Lord before Dauid he had not now caried his head vpon his shoulders Had he not been afflicted with Dauid he had perished with Adonijah now though he were in his owne merit a man of death yet he shall suruiue his partners Get thee to Anathoth vnto thine owne fields The Priesthood of Abiathar as it aggrauated his crime so it shall preserue his life Such honor haue good Princes giuen to the Ministers of the Sanctuarie that their very coate hath beene defence enough against the sword of iustice how much more should it be of proofe against the contempt of base persons Besides his function respect is had to his sufferings The father and brethren of Abiathar were slaine for Dauids sake therefore for Dauids sake Abiathar though worthy of death shall liue He had been now a dead man if he had not beene formerly afflicted Thus doth our good God deale with vs by the rod he preuents the sword and therefore will not condemne vs for our sins because we haue suffered If Abiathar doe not forfait his life yet his office he shall he must change Ierusalem for Anathoth and the Priesthood for a retired priuacie
helpe of the Physitian this desperate because it needs not Euery soule is sicke those most that feele it not Those that feele it complaine those that complaine haue cure those that feele it not shall finde themselues dying ere they can wish to recouer Oh blessed Physitian by whose stripes we are healed by whose death we liue happy are they that are vnder thy hands sicke as of sinne so of sorrow for sinne it is as vnpossible they should dye as it is vnpossible for thee to want either skill or power or mercy Sinne hath made vs sicke vnto death make thou vs but as sicke of our sinnes we are as safe as thou are gracious Christ among the Gergesens or Legion and the Gaderene Herd I Doe not any where finde so furious a Demoniacke as amongst the Gergesens Satan is most tyrannous where he is obeyed most Christ no sooner sailed ouer the lake then hee was met with two possessed Gadarenes The extreme rage of the one hath drowned the mention of the other Yet in the midst of all that cruelty of the euill spirit there was sometimes a remission if not an intermission of vexation If oft-times Satan caught him then sometimes in the same violence hee caught him not It was no thanke to that malignant one who as he was indefatigable in his executions so vnmeasurable in his malice but to the mercifull ouer-ruling of God who in a gracious respect to the weaknesse of his poore creatures limits the spightfull attempts of that immortall enemie and takes off this Mastiue whiles wee may take breath He who in his iustice giues way to some onsets of Satan in his mercy restraines them so regarding our deseruings that withall he regards our strength If way should be giuen to that malicious spirit we could not subsist no violent thing can endure if Satan might haue his wil we should no moment be free He can be no more weary of doing euil to vs then God is of doing good Are we therefore preserued from the malignitie of these powers of darknesse Blessed be our strong helper that hath not giuen vs ouer to be a prey vnto their teeth Or if some scope haue been giuen to that enuious one to afflict vs hath it been with fauourable limitations it is thine onely mercy O God that hath chained and muzled vp this band-dog so as that hee may scratch vs with his pawes but cannot pierce vs with his fangs Farre farre is this from our deserts who had too well merited a iust abdication from thy fauour and protection and an interminable seisure by Satan both in soule and body Neither doe I here see more matter of thankes to our God for our immunity from the externall iniuries of Satan then occasion of serious inquirie into his power ouer vs for the spirituall I see some that thinke themselues safe from this ghostly tyranny because they sometimes finde themselues in good moods free from the suggestions of grosse sinnes much more from the commission Vaine men that feed themselues with so false and friuolous comforts will they not see Satan through the iust permission of God the same to the soule in mentall possessions that he is to the body in corporall The worst demoniack hath his lightsome respites not euer tortured not euer furious betwixt whiles hee might looke soberly talke sensibly moue regularly It is a wofull comfort that wee sinne not alwayes There is no Master so barbarous as to require of his Slaue a perpetuall vnintermitted toyle yet though hee sometimes eate sleepe rest hee is a vassall still If that wicked one haue drawne vs to a customarie perpetration of euill and haue wrought vs to a frequent iteration of the same sinne this is gage enough for our seruitude matter enough for his tyrannie and insultation He that would be our tormenter alwaies cares onely to be sometimes our Tempter The possessed is bound as with the invisible fetters of Satan so with the materiall chaines of the inhabitants What can bodily force preuaile against a spirit Yet they indeuour this restraint of the man whether out of charitie or iustice Charitie that he might not hurt himselfe Iustice that he might not hurt others None doe so much befriend the Demoniacke as those that binde him Neither may the spiritually possessed be otherwise handled for though this act of the enemie be plausible and to appearance pleasant yet there is more danger in this deare and smiling tyranny Two sorts of chaines are fit for outragious sinners Good lawes vnpartiall executions That they may not hurt that they may not be hurt to eternall death These iron chaines are no sooner fast then broken There was more thâ—n an humane power in this disruption It is not hard to conceiue the vtmost of nature in this kinde of actions Sampson doth not breake the cords and ropes like a threed of towe but God by Sampson The man doth not breake these chaines but the spirit How strong is the arme of these euill angels how farre transcending the ordinarie course of nature They are not called Powers for nothing what flesh and blood could but tremble at the palpable inequalitie of this match if herein the mercifull protection of our God did not the rather magnifie it selfe that so much strength met with so much malice hath not preuailed against vs In spight of both wee are in safe hands Hee that so easily brake the iron fetters can neuer breake the adamantine chaine of our faith In vaine doe the chafing billowes of hell beat vpon that Rocke whereon wee are built And though these brittle chaines of earthly metall bee easily broken by him yet the sure tempered chaine of Gods eternall Decree hee can neuer breake that almightie Arbiter of Heauen and Earth and Hell hath chained him vp in the bottomlesse pit and hath so restrained his malice that but for our good wee cannot be tempted wee cannot be foyled but for a glorious victory Alas it is no otherwise with the spiritually possessed The chaines of restraint are commonly broken by the fury of wickednesse What are the respects of ciuilitie feare of God feare of men wholesome lawes carefull executions to the desperately licentious but as cobwebs to an harnet Let these wilde Demoniacks know that God hath prouided chaines for them that will hold euen euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse these are such as must hold the Deuils themselues their masters vnto the iudgement of the great Day how much more those impotent vassals Oh that men would suffer themselues to be bound to their good behauiour by the sweet and easie recognizances of their duty to their God and the care of their owne soules that so they might rather be bound vp in the bundle of life It was not for rest that these chaines were torne off but for more motion This prisoner runnes away from his friends hee cannot runne away from his Iaylor Hee is now caried into the Wildernesse Not by meere externall force but by
to send me a gracious release of that strict charge Why should I thinke that Gods reuelations are not as free to others as to me and if this Prophet haue receiued a countermand from an Angell of God how shall I not disobey God if I doe not follow him Vpon this ground he returnes with this deceitfull host when the meat was now in his mouth receiues the true message of death from the same lips that brought him the false message of his inuitation Thus saith the Lord for as much as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God but camest back and hast eaten bread and drunke water in the place forbidden thee thy carkasse shal not come to the Sepulcher of thy fathers Oh wofull Prophet when hee lookes on his host he sees his executioner whiles he is feeding of his body he heares of his carkasse at the table he heares of his denied Sepulcher and all this for eating and drinking where he was forbidden by God though bidden as from God The violation of the least charge of a God is mortall No pretences can warrant the transgression of a diuine command A word from God is pleaded on both sides The one was receiued immediately from God the other related mediately by man One the Prophet was sure of the other was questionable A sure word of God may not bee left for an vncertaine An expresse charge of the Almighty admitteth not of any checke His will is but one as himselfe is and therefore it is out of the danger of contradiction Me thinks I see the man of God change countenance at this sharpe sauce of his pleasing morsels his face before-hand is died with the palenesse of death me thinkes I heare him vrging many vnkind expostulations with his iniurious host who yet dismisses him better prouided for the ease of his iourny then he found him Perhaps this officiousnesse was our of desire to make some amends for his late seducement It is a poore recompence when he hath betrayed his life and wronged the soule to cast some courtesies vpon the body This old Bethelite that had taken paines to come and fetch the man of God into sin will not now goe backe with him to accompany his departure Doubtlesse hee was afraid to be in wrapped in the iudgement which hee saw hanged ouer that obnoxious head Thus the mischieuous guides of wickednesse leaue a man when they haue led him to his bane as familiar Deuils forsake their Witches when they haue brought them once into fetters The man of God returnes alone carefull no doubt and pensiue for his offence when a Lion out of the wood meets him assaults him kils him Oh the iust and seuere iudgements of the Almighty who hath brought this fierce beast out of his wild ranges into the high way to be the executioner of his offending seruant Doubtlesse this Prophet was a man of great holinesse of singular fidelity else he durst not haue been Gods Herald to carie a message of defiance to Ieroboam King of Israel in the midst of all his royall magnificence yet now for varying from but a circumstance of Gods command though vpon the suggestion of a diuine warrant is giuen for a prey to the Lion Our interest in God is so farre from excusing our sinne that it aggrauates it Of all others the sinne of a Prophet shall not passe vnreuenged The very wilde beasts are led by a prouidence Their wise and powerfull Creator knowes how to serue himselfe of them The Lions guard one Prophet kill another according to the commission receiued from their Maker What sinner can hope to escape vnpunished when euery creature of God is ready to be an auenger of euill The beasts of the field were made to serue vs we to serue our Creator When we forsake our homage to bim that made vs it is no maruell if the beasts forget their duty to vs and deale with vs not as Masters but as rebels When an holy man abuyes so dearely such a sleight frailty of a credulous mistaking what shall become of our hainous and presumptuous sinnes I cannot thinke but this Prophet died in the fauour of God though by the teeth of the Lion His life was forfeited for example his foule was safe Yea his very carkasse was left though torne yet faire after those deadly graspes as if God had said I will onely take thy breath from thee as the penalty of thy disobedience a Lion shall doe that which an apoplexie or feuer might doe I owe thee no further reuenge then may be satisfied with thy blood Violent euents doe not alwaies argue the anger of God Euen death it selfe is to his seruants a fatherly castigation But oh the vnsearchable wayes of the Almighty The man of God sinnes and dies speedily the lying Prophet that seduced him suruiues Yea wicked Ieroboam enioyes his Idolatry and treads vpon the graue of his reprouer There is neither fauour in the delay of stripes nor displeasure in the haste Rather whom God loues he chastises as sharply so speedily whiles the rest prosper to condemnation Euen the rod of a louing father may draw blood How much happier is it for vs that wee die now to liue for euer then that we liue a while to die euer Had this Lion set vpon the Prophet for hunger why did hee not deuoure as well as kill him Why did he not rather kill the beast then the man since we know the nature of the Lion such that he is not wont to assaile man saue in the extreme want of other prey Certainly the same power that imployed those fangs restrained them that the world might see it was not appetite that prouoked the beast to this violence but the ouer-ruling command of God Euen so O Lord thy powerfull hand is ouer that roaring Lion that goes about continually seeking whom hee may deuoure thine hand with-holds him that though he may shed the blood of thine elect yet he cannot hurt their soules and whiles he doth those things which thou permittest and orderest to thy iust ends yet he cannot doe lesser things which he desireth and thou permittest not The fierce beast stands by the carkasse as to auow his owne act and to tell who sent him so to preserue that body which he hath slaine Oh wonderfull worke of God the Executioner is turned Guardian and as the Officer of the highest commands all other creatures to stand aloofe from his chaâ—ge and commands the fearfull Asse that brought this burthen thither not to stirre thence but stand ready prest to recarie it to the Sepulcher and now when he hath sufficiently witnessed to all passengers that this act was not done vpon his own hunger but vpon the quarrell of his Maker he deliuers vp his charge to that old Prophet who was no lesse guilty of this blood then himselfe This old Seducer hath so much truth as both to giue a
Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel Let it be knowne this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy Seruant and that I haue done all these things at thy word Heare me O Lord heare me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God that thou hast turned their hearts backe againe The Baalites prayers were not more tedious then Elijahs was short and yet more pithy then short charging God with the care of his couenant of his truth of his glory It was Elijah that spake loud Oh strong cryes of faith that pierce the heauens and irresistably make their way to the throne of grace Israel shall well see that Elijahs God whom they haue forsaken is neither talking nor pursuing nor trauelling nor sleeping Instantly the fire of the Lord fals froÌ„ heauen consumes the burnt sacrifice the wood the stones the dust licks vp the water that was in the trench With what terror must Ahab and Israel needs see this fire rolling downe out of the sky and alighting with such fury so neere their heads heads no lesse fit for this flame then the sacrifice of Elijah Well might they haue thought How easily might this fire haue dilated it selfe and haue consumed our bodies as well as the wood and stone and haue lickt vp our blood as well as that water I know not whether they had the grace to acknowledge the mercy of God they could doe no lesse then confesse his power The Lord is God The Lord is God The iron was now hot with this heauenly fire Elijah stayes not till it coole againe but strikes immediately Take the Prophets of Baal let not one of them escape This wager was for life Had they preuailed in procuring this fire and Elijah failed of effect his head had been forfeited to them now in the contrary successe theirs are lost to him Let no man complaine that those holy hands were bloody This sacrifice was no lesse pleasing to God then that other Both the man and the act were extraordinarie and led by a peculiar instinct Neither doth the Prophet this without the assent of the supreme Magistrate who was now so affected with this miraculous worke that hee could not in the heat of that conuiction but allow the iustice of such sentence Farre be it from vs to accuse Gods commands or executions of cruelty It was the ancient and peremptory charge of God that the authors of Idolatry and seduction should dye the death no eye no hand might spare them The Prophet doth but moue the performance of that Law which Israel could not without sinne haue omitted It is a mercifull and thanke-worthy seuerity to rid the world of the Ring-leaders of wickednesse ELIjAH running before AHAB Flying from IEzEBEL I Heare no newes of the foure hundred Prophets of the Groues They lye close vnder the wing of Iezebel vnder their pleasing shades neither will be suffered to vndergoe the danger of this tryall the carkeises of their fellowes helpe to fill vp the haife-dry channell of Kishon Iustice is no sooner done then Ahab heares newes of mercy from Elijah Get thee vp eate and drinke for there is a sound of abundance of raine Their meeting was not more harsh then their parting was friendly It seemes Ahab had spent all that day fasting in an eager attendance of those conflicting Prophets It must needs bee late ere the execution could be done Elijahs part began not till the euening So farre must the King of Israel bee from taking thought for the massacre of those foure hundred and fifty Baalites that now hee may goe eate his bread with ioy and drinke his wine with a chearefull heart for God accepteth this worke and testifies it in the noise of much raine Euery drop of that Idolatrous blood was answered with a showre of raine with a streame of water and plenty poured downe in euery showre A sensible blessing followes the vnpartiall stroakes of seuere iustice Nothing is more cruell then an vniust pitie No eares but Elijahs could as yet perceiue a sound of raine the clouds were not yet gathered the vapours were not yet risen yet Elijah heares that which shall be Those that are of Gods Councell can discerne either fauours or iudgements afarre off the slacke apprehensions of carnall hearts make them hard to beleeue that as future which the quicke and refined senses of the faithfull perceiue as present Ahab goes vp to his repast Elijah goes vp to his prayers That day had bin painfull to him the vehemence of his spirit drawes him to a neglect of his body The holy man climbes vp to the top of Carmel that now hee may talke with his God alone neither is he sooner ascended then he casts himselfe downe vpon the earth He bowes his knees to God and bowes his face downe to his knees by this humble posture acknowledging his awfull respects to that Maiestie which he implored We cannot prostrate our bodies or soules too low to that infinitely glorious Deity who is the Creator of both His thoughts were more high then his body was low what he said wee know not we know that what he said opened the heauens that for three yeares and an halfe had bin shut vp God had said before I will send raine vpon the earth yet Elijah must pray for what God did promise The promises of the Almighty do not discharge our prayers but suppose them he will doe what he vndertakes but wee must sue for that which we would haue him doe Our petitions are included in the decrees in the ingagements of God The Prophet had newly seene and caused the fire to descend immediately out of heauen he doth not looke the water should doe so he knew that the raine must come from the clouds and that the clouds must arise from vapours and those vapours from the Sea thence doth he expect them But as not willing that the thoughts of his fixed deuotion should be distracted he doth not goe himselfe onely sends his seruant to bring him the newes of his successe At the first sight nothing appeares Seuen times must he walke to that prospect and not till his last view can discerne ought All that while is the Prophet in his prayers neither is any whit danted with that delay Hope holds vp the head of our holy desires and perseuerance crownes it If we receiue not an answer â—o our suits at the sixth motion wee may not bee out of countenance but must try the seuenth At last a little cloud arises out of the Sea of an hand breadâ—â— So many so feruent prayers cannot but pull water out of heauen as well as fire Those sighs reflect vpon the earth and from the earth reflect vpon heauen â—om heauen rebound vpon the Sea and raise vapours vp thence to heauen againe If we finde that our prayers are heard for the substance wee may not cauill at the quantitie Euen an hand broad cloud contents Eliah and fils his heart full
with thee is mercy and plentious redemption thine hand is open before our mouthes before our hearts If we did not see thee smile vpon suiters we durst not presse to thy footstoole Behold now we know that the King of heauen the God of Israel is a mercifull God Let vs put sackcloth vpon our loynes and strew ashes vpon our heads and goe meet the Lord God of Israel that he may saue our soules How well doth this habit become insolent and blasphemous Benhadad and his followers a rope and sackcloth A rope for a Crowne sackcloth for a robe Neither is there lesse change in the tongue Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue Euen now the King of Israel said to Benhadad My Lord O King I am thine Tell my Lord the King all that thou didst send for to thy seruant I will doe Now Benhadad sends to the King of Israel Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue Hee that was erewhile a Lord and King is now a seruant and he that was a seruant to the king of Syria is now his Lord he that would blow away all Israel in dust is now glad to beg for his own life at the doore of a despised enemy no courage is so haughty which the God of hosts cannot easily bring vnder what are mē or deuils in those almighty hāds The greater the deiection was the stronger was the motiue of commiseration That haltar pleaded for life and that plea for but a life stirred the bowels for fauour How readily did Ahab see in Benhadads sudden misery the image of the instability of all humane things and relents at the view of so deepe and passionate a submission Had not Benhadad said Thy seruant Ahab had neuer said My brother seldome euer was there losse in humility How much lesse can we feare disparagement in the annihilating of our selues before that infinite Maiestie The drowning man snatches at euery twig It is no maruell if the messengers of Benhadad catch hastilie at that last of grace and hold it fast Thy brother Benhadad Fauours are wont to draw on each other Kindnesses breed on themselues neither need wee any other perswasion to beneficence then from our owne acts Ahab cals for the King of Syria sets him in his owne Charet treats with him of an easie yet firme league giues him both his life and his Kingdome Neither is the Crowne of Syria sooner lost then recouered Onely hee that came a free Prince returnes tributarie Onely his traine is clipt too short for his wings an hundred twentie seuen thousand Syrians are abated of his Guard homeward Blasphemy hath escaped too well Ahab hath at once peace with Benhadad warre with God God proclaimes it by his Herald one of the sonnes of the Prophets not yet in his owne forme but disguised both in fashion and complaint It was a strange suit of a Prophet Smite me I pray thee Many a Prophet was smitten and would not neuer any but this wished to bee smitten The rest of his fellowes were glad to say Saue mee this onely sayes Smite me His honest neighbour out of loue and reuerence forbeares to strike There are too many thinkes hee that smite the Prophets though I refraine What wrong hast thou done that I should repay with blowes Hadst thou sued for a fauour I could not haue denyed thee now thou suest for thine hurt the deniall is a fauour Thus he thought but Charitie cannot excuse disobedience Had the man of God called for blowes vpon his owne head the refusall had beene iust and thanke-worthy but now that he sayes In the Word of the Lord Smite me this kindnesse is deadly Because thou hast not obeyed the voyce of the Lord behold assoone as thou art departed from me a Lyon shall slay thee It is not for vs to examine the charges of the Almighty Be they neuer so harsh or improbable if they bee once knowne for his there is no way but obedience or death Not to smite a Prophet when God commands is no lesse sinne then to smite a Prophet when God forbids It is the diuine precept or prohibition that either makes or aggrauates an euill And if the Israelite bee thus reuenged that smote not a Prophet what shall become of Ahab that smote not Benhadad Euery man is not thus indulgent an easie request will gaine blowes to a Prophet from the next hand yea and a wound in smiting I know not whether it were an harder taske for the Prophet to require a wound then for a well-meaning Israelite to giue it Both must bee done The Prophet hath what hee would what hee must will a sight of his owne blood and now disguised herewith and with ashes vpon his face hee way-layes the King of Israel and sadly complaines of himselfe in a reall parable for dismissing a Syrian prisoner deliuered to his hands vpon no lesse charge then his life and soone receiues sentence of death from his owne mouth Well was that wound bestowed that strucke Ahabs soule through the flesh of the Prophet The disguise is remoued The King sees not a souldier but a Seer and now finds that he hath vnawares passed sentence vpon himselfe There needs no other doome then from the lips of the offender Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Had not Ahab knowne the will of God concerning Benhadad that had beene mercy to an enemy which was now cruelty to himselfe to Israel His eares had heard of the blasphemies of that wicked tongue His eyes had seene God goe before him in the example of that reuenge No Prince can strike so deepe into his state as in not striking In priuate fauour there may bee publike vnmercifulnesse AHAB and NABOTH NAboth had a faire Vineyard It had beene better for him to haue had none His vineyard yeelded him the bitter Grapes of death Many a one hath beene sold to death by his lands and goods wealth hath beene a snare as to the soule so to the life Why doe wee call those goods which are many times the bane of the owner Naboths vineyard lay neere to the Court of Iezebel It had beene better for him it had beene planted in the wildernesse Doubtlesse this vicinity made it more commodious to the possessor but more enuious and vnsafe It was now the perpetuall obiect of an euill eye and stirred those desires which could neither be well denyed nor satisfied Eminency is still ioyned with perill obscuritie with peace There can bee no worse annoyance to an inheritance then the greatnesse of an euill neighbourhood Naboths vines stood too neere the smoake of Iezebels chimneys too much within the prospect of Ahabs window Now lately had the King of Israel beene twice victorious ouer the Syrians no sooner is he returned home then hee is ouercome with euill desires The foyle
contriued to haue by fraud and force what was denied to intreaty Nothing needs but the name but the seale of Ahab let her alone with the rest How present are the wits of the weaker sex for the deuising of wickednesse She frames a letter in Ahabs name to the Senatours of Iezreell wherein she requires them to proclaime a fast to suborne two false witnesses against Naboth to charge him with blasphemy against God the King to stone him to death A ready payment for a rich Vineyard Whose indignation riseth not to heare Iezebel name a fast The great contemners of the most important Lawes of God yet can be content to make vse of some diuine both statutes and customes for their owne aduantage She knew the Israelites had so much remainder of grace as to hold blasphemy worthy of death She knew their manner was to expiate those crying sinnes with publike humiliation She knew that two witnesses at least must cast the offender all these she vrges to her own purpose There is no mischiefe so deuillish as that which is cloked with piety Simulation of holinesse doubleth a villany This murder had not been halfe so foule if it had not bin thus masked with a religious obseruation Besides deuotion what a faire pretence of legality is here Blasphemy against God and his anointed may not passe vnreuenged The offender is conuented before the sad and seuere bench of Magistracy the iustice of Israel allowes not to condemne an absent an vnheard malefactor Witnesses come forth and agree in the intentation of the crime the Iudges rend their garments and strike their brests as grieued not more for the sin then the punishment their very countenance must say Naboth should not die if his offence did not force our iustice and now he is no good subiect no true Israelite that hath not a stone for Naboth Iezebel knew well to whom she wrote Had not those letters falne vpon the times of a wofull degeneration of Israel they had receiued no lesse strong denials from the Elders then Ahab had from Naboth God forbid that the Senate of Iezreel should forge a periurie belie truth condemne innocency broke corruption Command iust things wee are ready to die in the zeale of our obedience wee dare not imbrue our hands in the blood of an innocent But she knew whom she had engaged whom she had marred by making conscious It were strange if they who can countenance euill with greatnesse should want factors for the vniustest designes Miserable is that people whose Rulers in stead of punishing plot and incourage wickednesse when a distillation of euill fals from the head vpon the lungs of any State there must needs follow a deadly consumption Yet perhaps there wanted not some colour of pretence for this proceeding They could not but heare that some words had passed betwixt the King and Naboth Haply it was suggested that Naboth had secretly ouer-lashed into saucy and contemptuous termes to his Soueraigne such as neither might be well borne nor yet by reason of their priuacy legally conuinced the bench of Iezreel should but supply a forme to the iust matter and desert of condemnation What was it for them to giue their hand to this obscure midwifery of Iustice It is enough that their King is an accuser and witnesse of that wrong which onely their sentence can formally reuenge All this cannot wash their hands from the guilt of blood If iustice be blinde in respect of partiality she may not be blinde in respect of the grounds of execution Had Naboth beene a blasphemer or a traitor yet these men were no better then murtherers What difference is there betwixt the stroke of Magistracie and of man-slaughter but due conuiction Wickednesse neuer spake out of a Throne and complained of the defect of instruments Naboth was it seemes strictly conscionable his fellow Citizens loose lawlesse they are glad to haue gotten such an opportunity of his dispatch No clause of Ahabs letter is not obserued A fast is warned the city is assembled Naboth is conuented accused confronted sentenced stoned His vineyard is escheated to the Crowne Ahab takes speedy and quiet possession How still doth God sit in heauen and looke vpon the complots of treachery and villanies as if they did not concerne him The successe so answers their desires as if both heauen and earth were their friends It is the plague which seemes the felicity of sinners to speed well in their lewd enterprises No reckoning is brought in the midst of the meale the end payes for all Whiles Ahab is reioycing in his new garden-plot and promising himselfe contentment in this commodious enlargement in comes Elijah sent from God with an errand of vengeance Me thinkes I see how the Kings countenance changed with what agast eyes and pale cheekes he lookt vpon that vnwelcome Prophet Little pleasure tooke he in his prospect whiles it was clogged with such a guest yet his tongue begins first Hast thou found me O mine enemy Great is the power of conscience vpon the last meeting for ought we know Ahab and Elijah parted friends The Prophet had lacquaied his coach and tooke a peaceable leaue at this Townes end now Ahabs heart told him neither needed any other messenger that God and his Prophet were falne out with him His continuing Idolatry now seconded with blood bids him look for nothing but frownes from heauen A guilty heart can neuer be at peace Had not Ahab knowne how ill he had deserued of God hee had neuer saluted his Prophet by the name of an enemy Hee had neuer beene troubled to bee found by Elijah if his owne brest had not found him out for an enemy to God Much good may thy vineyard doe thee O thou King of Israel many faire flowers and sauory herbes may thy new Garden yeeld thee please thy selfe with thy Iezebel in the triumph ouer the carkasse of a scrupulous subiect let mee rather die with Naboth then reioyce with thee His turne is ouer thine is to come The stones that ouerwhelmed innocent Naboth were nothing to those that smite thee Hast thou killed also taken possession thus saith the Lord In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood euen thine What meanest thou O Elijah to charge this murther vpon Ahab Hee kept his Chamber Iezebel wrote the Elders condemned the people stoned yet thou sayest Hast thou killed Well did Ahab know that Iezebel could not giue this vineyard with dry hands yet was he content to winke at what she would doe He but sits still whiles Iezebel workes Onely his Signet is suffered to walke for the sealing of this vnknowne purchase Those that are trusted with authoritie may offend no lesse in conniuency or neglect then other in act in participation Not onely command consent countenance but very permission feoffes publike persons in those sinnes which they might and will not preuent God loues to punish by retaliation Naboth and
and send them home empty of substance laded with shame halfe-dead with feare the very horses that might haue hastened their flight are left tied in their Tents their very garments are a burthen all is left behind saue their very bodies and those breathlesse for speed Doubtlesse these Syrians knew well to what miserable exigents the inclosed Israelites were brought by their siege and now made full account to sacke and ransacke their Samaria already had they diuided and swallowed the prey when suddenly God puts them into a ridiculous confusion and sends them to seeke safety in their heeles no booty is now in price with them but their life and happy is hee that can run fastest Thus the Almighty laughes at the designes of insolent men and shuts vp their counsels in shame The feare of the foure Lepers began now to giue way to security they fill their bellies and hide their treasures and passe from one Tent to another in a fastidious choice of the best commodities they who ere-while would haue held it happinesse enough to haue beene blessed with a crust now wantonly roue for dainties and from necessitie leape into excesse How farre selfe-loue caries vs in all our actions euen to the neglect of the publique Not till their owne bellies and hands and eies were filled did these Lepers thinke of imparting this newes to Israel at last when themselues are glutted they begin to remember the hunger of their brethren and now they finde roome for remorse We doe not well this day is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace Nature teaches vs that it is an iniurie to ingrosse blessings and so to mind the priuate as if we had no relation to a community we are worthy to be shut out of the City-gates for Lepers if the respects to the publique good do not ouer-sway with vs in all our desires â—n all our demeanure and well may wee with these couetous Lepers feare a mischiefe vpon our selues if we shall wilfully conceale blessings from others The conscience of this wrong and danger sends backe the Lepers into the Citie they call to the Porters and soone transmit the newes to the Kings houshold The King of Israel complaines not to haue his sleepe broken with such intelligence Hee ariseth in the night and not contemning good newes though brought by Lepers consults with his seruants of the businesse We cannot be too iealous of the intentions of an enemy Iehoram wisely suspects th s flight of the Syrians to be but simulatorie and politicke onely to draw Israel out of their City for the spoile of both There may bee more perill in the backe of an enemy then in the face the cruellest slaughters haue beene in retiring Easily therefore is the King perswaded to aduenture some few for-lorne Scouts for further assurance The word of Elisha is out of his head out of his heart else there had beene no place for this doubt Timorous hearts neuer thinke themselues sure those that haue no faith had need of much sense Those few horses that remaine are sent forth for discouery they find nothing but Monuments of frightfulnesse pledges of security Now Israel dares issue forth to the prey There as if the Syrians had comne thither to inrich them they finde granaries wardrobes treasures and what euer may serue either for vse or ostentation Euery Israelite goes away filled laden wearied with the wealthy spoile As scarcitie breeds dearth so plenty cheapnesse To day a measure of fine flower is lower rated then yesterday of dung The distrustfull Peere of Israel sees this abundance according to the word of the Prophet but enioyes it not he sees this plenty can come in at the gate though the windowes of heauen be not open The gate is his charge The affamished Israelites presse in vpon him beare him downe in the throng Extreme hunger hath no respect to greatnesse Not their rudenesse but his owne vnbeleefe hath trampled him vnder feet Hee that abased the power of God by his distrust is abased worthily to the heeles of the multitude Faith exalts a man aboue his owne sphere Infidelitie depresses him into the Dust into Hell He that beleeues not is condemned already FJNIS AN ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE WHOLE VVORKE AAron his Censer and Rod pag. 925 Aarons courage or mercy whether to bee more maruelled at 925 926. Absence The absence of God is hell it selfe 915 Sinnes not afflictions argue Gods absence 976 977. Abigail The signification of her name 1102. With her sorrow ibid. Her cariage to Dauid 1104. Ability A caution for concealment of our abilities 852. Carnall hearts are caried away with the presumption of their owne abilities 1081. Abimelech his vsurpation 985. Of him and Dauid 1091. Abner and Ioah 1119. Abraham Of him and his tryals 831. None of them like to that of sacrificing Isaack 834 Absolom Of his returne and conspiracy 1148. In his banishment is shadowed the misery of such as are shut out of heauen 1149. Of his pride treason 1150. His death 1237. Acception Acception of persons a good note of it in Ioshua and the Gibeonites 966. Achan his one sinne what it doth to all Israel 954. His hope of secrecie in his sin what it doth 955. His confession 956. Achish Of him Dauid 1106. Achitophel Of him and his counsell 1234 His fathers mourning for him 1240. Acquaintance Our strangenesse with God condemned being so often inuited to his acquaintance 52. Long acquaintance maketh those things which are euill to seeme lesse euill 145. Actions All our actions of faith and charity shall bee sure of pay 953. No action can giue vs comfort but that which wee doe out of the grounds of obedience 1027 Admonition With what impatience a gaulled heart doth receiue admonition 898 Sweet compellations how helpfull to the entertainment of good admonitions 956 How we must deale with admonitions to our brethren 1104 Adonijah he is defeated 1255. Aduersity what it teacheth 24 Affections good affections make heauy things light 3 Heauenly affections must bee free without composition 37 38 Loue and feare are two main affections of the soule 475 The affections how deceitfull 504 Affectation it is a great enemie of doing well 14 Nothing forced by affectation can be comely 59 The vanity of being caried away with the affectation of fame 66 Afflictions Not to be afflicted is a signe of weaknesse 7 A method in suffering afflictions 38 A notable enducement to suffering afflictions 45 46. Afflictions in loue better then prosperity without it 51 A good rule for behauing of our selues in afflictions 65 No maruell why the wicked are no more afflicted 149 A discourse of the comfortable remedies of all afflictions 366 The wicked grow worse by afflictions 835 Gods hand is often heauy on those whom he loues 855 Nothing so powerfully calls home a man as affliction ibid. The affliction of Israel 893 In our afflictions when wee seeme most neglected then is God most present
instance in Moses 866 The wicked in their afflictions like the beasts that grow mad with baiting 874 Euery maine affliction is the godly mans Red-Sea 883 A way to discerne the afflictions of God and Satan 884 The enduring afflictions commendable 887 Afflictions send men to prayer 930 The purpose of affliction is to make vs importunate 971 When God hath beaten his child he will burne the rod. 971 The aduantage which afflictions haue 994 our afflictions more noted of the sender then of the sufferer 995 It is the infirmitie of our nature oft-times to bee afflicted with the causes of our ioy 997 An example of Gods making our afflictions beneficial 1000 Extremitie of distresse will send the prophanest to God 1109 1110 Agag of him and Saul 1073 Ag◠a pretty diuision of our ages and hopes in them 46 and burthens also 48 Agnus Dei The vertue of that which was sent by Pope Vrbanus the fift vnto the Greeke Emperour 621 Ahab of him Benhadad 1351 Of him and Naboth 1356 His spleene against Naboth whether of anger or griefe 1357 Iezebels cōforting him 1357 The power of conscience in him 1359 His sorrow censured 1359 Of his death 1360 c. The number of his Prophets ibid. All Satans subtiltie in desiring not all but halfe the heart p. 2 Our seruice to God must bee totall 477. 478 Whether all may reade the Scriptures 617 Trust him in nothing that hath not a conscience in euery thing 1006 Partiall conuersion of man is but hatefull hypocrisie 1051 The worst men will make head against some though not all sinnes 1109 Allegeance of the oath and iust suffering of those that refuse it 342 c. Almes it ought to be like Oyle 708 Alone Sinne is not acted alone 1138 Altar the altar of the Reubenites 967 No gaine so sweet as of a robbed altar 1054 The Altar cleaued to in danger by Ioab but otherwise not regarded 1261 1262 But t is no fit place for a bloody Homicide 1262 Alteration the itching desire of alteration manifested 1053 Amalek his foyle 893 His sin called to reckoning 1074 Ambition an ambitious man is the greatest enemy to himselfe 5 It hath torment enough in euery estate 16 Pretty steps of ambition 95 Its Character 197 Hard to say whether there be more Pride or Ignorance in ambition 985 Ambition euer in trauel 1150 Ammon of him and Thamar 1144 His lust prettily laid out 1146 Anabaptists their Kings or Captaines pride 443 Their dissention at Amsterdam prettily set out 445 Angels of the offices and acts of good and euill Angels 66 67 The vse that we should make of them as our friends and foes ibid. The danger of wicked men which haue Gods Angels to oppose them 934 Good Angels haue their stints in their executions ibid. How forward the good Angels are to incite to pietie 997 Hearty sacrifices are an Angels feast ibid. T is presumption to discourse of their Orders Titles c. 997 Of the Angell and Zacharie 1159 They reioyce to bee with vs whilst wee are with God 1161 What it is to pray to Angels in the Virgins salutation 1163 Anger the small difference betweene anger and madnesse 140 Anna and Peninna 1028 Of Eli and Hanna 1030 Amsterdam vid. Title Brownists and Separatists their separation iniury to the Church with the censure and aduice 315 Antiquitie of popish deprauing antiquitie 349 Apparell the children of God haue three suits of apparell 37 The glory of apparell is sought in noueltie c. with a sharpe reproofe of out-running modestie in it 1135 Appearance nothing more vncertaine then it 489 Of appearance of things and Men. 490 Appearance may bee reduced into three heads ibid. Where appearance is the rule see how the ordinances of God become to bee scorned 492 The Saints mis-deemed the Gallants estate mis-iudged 493 And false religion seeme true 494 Appearance is either a true falsehood or an vncertaine truth 1078 Application the life of doctrine 1142 Apocrypha whether it be to be receiued as Scripture 614 Austeritie there is euer an holy austeritie must follow the calling of God 995 Arke How to bee reuerenced 949 The strength of Gods Arke 952 The Arke and Dagon 1043 The prophane Philistims toyle in carying the Arke shames many our attendance at it ibid. The Arkes reuenge and returne 1046 The Israelites ioy of the returne of the Arke 1049 The remoue of the Arke 1050 Of Vzzah and the Arke 1127 Arts all arts are handmaids to Diuinitie 143 Asa of him 1326 Foure principall monuments of Asa his vertues 1327 Astonishment By it God makes way for his greatest messages 870 Authority An impression of Maiesty in lawfull authoritie 904 The errour of the mightie is armed with authority 917 Authority the marke of enuy 920 Awe The awefulnesse that God hath put into Soueraignty 1116 Awefulnesse is a good interpreter of Gods secret acts 1129 B BAdam Of him 931 And of his Asse 934 His madnesse in cursing the people 936 A pretty vse of Baalams death ibid. Bablers a good note of them 12 Baptisme A discourse of the necessity of it and of the estate of those which necessarily want it 367 Of Christs baptisme 1189 It giues vertue to ours ibid. Bathsheba Of her and Dauid and Vriah 1137 Shee mournes for her husbands death 1141 Beasts God will call vs to account for our cruelty to dumbe beasts 935 Beauty If it bee not well disciplin'd it proues not a friend but a foe 1145 Beelzebub Who he was 1289 Beginnings Wee must stop the beginnings of sin 937 Strange beginnings are not vsually cast away 994 Those affaires are like to proceed well that haue their beginnings of God 1025 Little can wee iudge by the beginnings of an action what will be the end 1053 As it is seene in Saul 1056 Beleefe First beleeue then conceiue 25 vide Faithfulnesse Beniamin His desolation 1019 Beneficence Our cheerfulnesse thereto excited 373 Benefits Wee lose the comfort of them if wee renue not our perils by meditation 1000 Birth Not to be too much discouraged by the basenesse of our birth 991 The very birth and conception of extraordinary persons is extraordinary 994 Bishops Whether ours be Antichristian 578 Blood It is a restlesse suter 1262 Boaz and Ruth 1025 Body How to bee caried in the worship of God 13 The gesture of the body shold expresse and helpe the deuotion of the soule 894 Dead bodies are not lost but layd vp 942 Boldnesse It s vsuall issue without ability 5 It is dangerous to bee too bold with the ordinances of God 949 Fearfull to vse the holy Ordinances of God with an vnreuerend boldnesse 1049 Boldnesse and feare are commonly misplaced in the best hearts 1052 A good conscience wil make a man bold 1060 Bookes Of neglecting good bookes 411 A bewailing the want of order iudgement in reading Popish bookes 412 God hath two bookes one of his word another of his works 1124 Brownists vide Separatists their scandalous aspersions
subordinate rules of tranquillitie 92 R RAhab Of her 945 The Authors censure of her whether an harlot in respect of filthinesse ibid. Her house a token of the true Church 947 Her deliuery with the vse of it 953 Rarenesse It causeth wonder with the application of it 49 50 Rebels Vengeance against theÌ„ may sleepe but cannot dye 1263 Regeneration it must make way for our glorification 466 Rehoboam 1311 His taking counsell with the yong ones 1313 Reioyce How easily we can reioyce in that which we shall find the iust cause of our humiliation 1057 Relapse vide reuolting It is desperate 888 Religion Of the feeling of the power of it in our selues 37 Who is the greatest enemie to Religion 141 A discourse of the tryall and choyce of true religion 319 Dissentions in religion an insufficient motiue of vnsetlednesse in it What both a priuate publike person is compared vnto that is vnsetled in his religion 481 Nothing reputed so superfluous as religious duties 865 A reproofe of our not being willing to be at cost with religion 901 The pompous shewes of the false religion 936 The care of religioÌ„ must haue the first place 968 Religion gone humanity wil hardly stay long after 986 Where no respect is giuen to Gods Ministers there is no religion 1017 No measuring of religion by outward glory 1044 It is no small priuiledge to dwell where religion is 1054 Nothing worse then to make policy a stalking horse for religion 1121 The Princes first care to aduance religion 1127 If Ministers be meal-mouth'd in the scornes of religion they may not bee counted patient but zealelesse 1130 Religion makes not men vnciuill 1134 Want of religion is the way to disobedience 1314 Religion and policy how they must meet 1335 God hates nothing more then a neutrality in religion 1337 Remembrance the remembrance of former fauors how it heartens our faith 894 Reprehension that there must not be one vniforme in reprehension 24 Reprehension better then flattery ibid. Corruption checked growes mad with rage 865 A galled heart impatient of reprehension 868 What a wicked man lookes to in hearing reprehension ibid. Where sinne is not ashamed of light God loues not that reprehension should bee smothered 915 Reprehension makes way for consolation 975 It is signe of a horse galled that stirres too much when he is touched 1030 In vaine doe wee reprehend those sinnes abroad which we tolerate at home 1033 An easie reproofe doth but encourage wickednesse 1034 Of the choice of seasons for reproofe 1060 Reproouers should striue to be innocent ibid. Resolute wickednesse is impatient of reprehension 1318 Repentance an excellent inducement to it 68 The character of a true penitent 180 A vniuersall Antidote for all the iudgements of God 916 In vaine to professe repentance whilst wee continue in Idolatry 1051 Oâ— the maruellous power of repentance 1143 Repentance cannot alwaies turne a temporall iudgement 1248 Rephidim Its rocke 891 Reproaches Such as are cast vpon vs in the causes of God may safely be repayed 1130 Reubenites Of their Altar 967 Reprobation a fearfull signe of it 1110 Reuenge vide vengeance God alwaies takes his part that seekes not to reuenge himselfe 914 God can reuenge with ease 922 Euery creature reioyceth to execute Gods vengeance 929 There is no euasion where God intends reuenge 966 Reuolter vide Relapse much difference betweene him and a man trained vp in error 143 An Epistle to new reuolter a Minister 275 Reynolds commended 287 Riches vide Wealth Rich men are not Gods treasurers but his Stewards 26 How a vertuous man esteemes of riches 28 Hard to bee rich and righteous 33 A notable argument to draw yea dâ—iue men froÌ„ the desire of riches 35 The way to bee rich indeed 36 Rich mens misery in this that they cannot know their friends 59 A rich maÌ„ may go to heauen but hardly a couetous 137 The rich that speake with command must also be commanded 694 How rich man was in his innocency 695 Who is rich indeed 696 What wee should doe to bee rich 697 The strangenesse of a rich mans being proud and that in two respects 699 A rich man prettily descrybed ibid. The confidence that some put in riches 701 What riches cannot doe 702 A pretty rule how to vse riches ibid. Riches vncertaine ibid. c. What should bee the rich mans stay 704 A strait charge to rich men 707 Righteous righteousnesse of our iealosie of a mans being suddenly righteous 3 Rome vide Popery the state of the now Romane Church 633 The obstinate and auerse opposition of the Romanists 636 The impossibility of being reconciled with Rome 639 663 The Romish errour concerning Iustification 643 Freewill 645 Merits 647 Satisfaction 648 Purgatorie 650 Pardons 651 Mortall veniall sins 652 The Canon of the Scripture 653 The insufficiency of the Scripture 655 Transubstantion 656 The MultipreseÌ„ce of Christs body 657 The sacrifice of the Masse 658 The number of Mediators 659 Their ridiculous worship of Rome 661 Ruth and Naomi 1022 S SAcraments when they haue their true effect 954 Sacrifice A three-fold sacrifice acceptable to God First Poenitentiae Secondly Iustitiae Thirdly Laudis 456 Hearty sacrifices are the Angels feast 997 We must not dare to sacrifice vnsanctified 1078 Sacriledge The largenesse of its punishment 957 Saints of innouation of Saints 659 Salomon Of his beginning 1258 His dutifull cariage to his mother 1260 His choice and iudgement on the two harlots 1264 The experiment of Salomons wisedome in saying Diuide the child 1266 His building the Temple 1266 His defection 1273 Samaria Its famine 1394 Sampson Conceiued 994 His mariage 998 His victory 1002 His end 1005 A pretty passage about Sampsons leauing his wife 1002 Sampsons victory with the Iawbone of an Asse applied to a weake Christian 1005 Samuel vid. Saul His contestation 1059 Of Samuels harbouring Dauid 1090 Satisfaction The Papists errour concerning it 648 Saul and Samuel their meeting 1052 Samuels kinde entertainment of Saul 1055 Sauls faire beginnings 1056 Sauls Vnction ibid. Sauls inauguration 1057 Sauls sacrifice 1061 Hee reiected of God is no more a King but a Tyrant ibid. Sauls sacrifice prettily set out 1063 Sauls oath 1064 Saul and Agag 1073 An excellent expostulation on Sauls doings with the Amalekites 1075 Sauls reiection and Dauids choice 1076 Saul the very character of hypocrisie 1076 Sauls madnesse had not bereaued him of his craft 1087 Saul in Dauids caue 1099 Of him and the Witch of Endor 1109 Sauls hardinesse at the raising of Samuel prettily described 1111 Sauls death 1116 A pretty description of the messenger that brought tydings to Dauid of Sauls death 1117 1118 Scandall A good heart is no lesse afraid of scandall then of sinne 1027 Scribes Their name and sorts vid. Pharisees 408 Schismes how bred fostered and confirmed 29 30 Scriptures whether the Apocryphall bookes are to be receiued as scripture 614 Which of the translations are most to be adhered to 615 Whether
when euery vertue hath a disgrace 865 Victory The victories of God goe not by strength but by innocencie 955 Virgin The Virgin Maries extraordinarie Honour fauour and happinesse 1163 Of her Purification 1173 Her wofull mourning in the missing of her sonne 1186 Visions God neuer graceth the idle with visions 870 Not to bee proud of seeing visions the reason 934 935 Vnanimity It is not in the greatest Ecclesiasticall assemblies euer an argument of truth 1361 Vngodlinesse An vnmannerly godlesnesse to take Gods creatures without his leaue 1055 Vnitie Where God vniteth heart carnall respects are too weake to disseuer them 1086 Vnseasonablenesse The vnseasonablenesse of our actions rather hurt then benefit vs. 653 Vnthankefulnesse It is not in generous natures 1259 Vnthrift His character 198 Vnworthy It is no small miserie to be obliged to the vnworthy 991 Vocation vid. Calling Honest men may not bee ashamed of honest vocations 869 Vow Ieptha's vow 992 Vowes are like Sents ibid. An vnlawfull vow not to bee kept 993 The obligation of a secret vow 1032 How sacred our vow should be in things iust and expedient 1066 Rash vowes seldome free from inconueniencies ibid. Of Dauids Vow 1104 Vriah Of him and Dauid and Bathsheba 1137 How his austeritie doth condemne Dauids wantonnesse 1139 Vse It makes masterdome 143 Vzâ—ah And the Arke 1127 Of his death and pretty obseruations thereon 1128 His sinne ibid. W WAnt There is no want for which a man may not finde a remedy in himselfe except grace 56 57 Want meeting with impatient minds how it transports 885 By want will Sathan tempt vs to vnwarrantable courses 1194 Wantonnesse our wantonnesse in the enioyment of the Word notably expressed 62 No sinne more plausible then it 936 Warre Their names and censure who hold that warre is forbidden vnder the Gospell 452 There must be in warre two grounds two directions 452 Warres misery described 481 482 There is no warring against God 951 A good rule to bee obserued in the successe or want of successe in warre 955 To make warre any other but our last remedy is not courage but cruelty in Gods sight 992 Not fury but discretion must be the guide of warre 1081 Warre It is a noble dissposition in a victor to call for cessation of warre 1120 Warfare Our spirituall warfare admits no intermission 539 Warning Not taken is a presage of destruction 1007 No warning will serue the obdurate heart 1051 Warrant A note of doing vnwarrantable actions 1011 Water What it doth in Baptisme 1190 Wayes A Christian in all his waies must haue three guides First Truth Secondly Charitie Thirdly Wisedome 137 Weaknesse Wherefore serues the examples of the weake 1103 Wealth vid. Riches worldly wealth how to be esteemed 698 The strangenesse of a wealthy mans being proud and that in two respects 699 No iudging of men by their purses 1103 White It was euer the colour of ioy and linnen was light for vse 1130 Whitakers commended 287 Wicked vid. sinne and wickednesse The wicked hath three terrible spectacles 7 No maruell of the wicked mans peace ibid. The wicked afraid of euery thing 32 The wicked owe themselues to the good 837 Wickednesse is euer cowardly 863 The wicked in their prosperitie will hardly giue God his owne 873 The company of the wicked dangerous 921 The wicked neuer care for obseruing Gods iudgements vntil themselues be touched 931 Wickednesse meeting with power what it doth 933 It is not enough to gaze on the wickednesse of the times except we set too to redresse it 938 When God by the wicked hath beaten his children he will burne the Rod. 971 It is no thankes to themselues that wicked men cannot be cruell 1003 Wicked men neuer see fairer prospects then when they are vpon the brinke of destruction 1004 1005 Wicked men cannot see their prosperity a curse 1019 Wickednesse can seldome brag of any long prosperitie 1020 Wicked men when by carnall meanes they thinke to make their peace plunge themselues into deeper miserie 1076 The world hath none so great enemie to him as hee is to himselfe 1107 The mercy of the wicked cruell 1322 Widow A widowes sonne raised 1281 Wife How shee must carie her selfe 240 The good house wife many wayes 241 A good note for wiues 996 What it is to follow nothing but the eye in the choice of a wife 998 All the riches of the world not worth a vertuous prudent wife 1028 The hurt that came to Salomon by his wiues 1273 Of Ieroboams wife 1323 Will The will of God is the rule of all good and therefore it is not good to inquire after any other reasons of it 1108 Wilfulnesse wilfull men that are blind in all dangers are deafe to all counsells 105 Willingnesse of it how God will accept 896 Wine it is a Mocker 1140 Wise or wisdome the character of a wise man 173 Wherein it consists 211 Its fruits 212 Lewd men call their wicked policies wisdome 864 Good discourse is but the froth of wisdome 1271 Witches Sauls seeking to them 1079 Wherein hee may seeme a saint to some of our times ibid. Of the witch of Endor 1109 She was no lesse crafty then wicked 1111 Witnesse wee can doe nothing without a million of witnesses 64 Wonder Rarenesse causeth it 49 The application of it 50 They that affect to tell wonders fall into many absurdities ibid. A fruitlesse wonder that ends not in feare 1188 Word the milke and strong meat therein 145 146 Many hardned by the word 836 Words Sauls faire words 1087. O Nabals euill words 1103 Workes Two things viz honor and profit goe together in good workes 54 Our faith must be manifested by our workes 415 When wee make a right vse of the workes of God 947 World It is a stage both in regard of good and bad 27 Worldly cares fitly compared to thornes 142 An Epistle on the contempt of the world 276 How to vse tne world without danger 385 Worldly wealth how to be esteemed 698 The ouerprizing of worldly things what it doth 956 The worlds courtesies what 1001 The vaine hopes of worldly men cost them deare 1047 The holinesse of the worldly minded 1066 A worldly mind can rise easily but knowes not how to descend with patience or safety 1080 The quick-sighted worlding puâ— blind in spirituals 1245 Worldling His life most miserable 4 Euery worldling an Hypocrite 6 Worship concerning the superstitious heathenish and ridiculous worship of Papists 661 Of enioying a false worship with ease 1011 Y YOuth It must bee studious that old age may bee fruitfull 9 A good thing to 〈◊〉 youth to speake well 11 God will not accept of the dregs of old age if wee giue him not the head of our youth 140 An admonition to parents for being carefull of their youth 670 Of too much speed in sending our youth to trauell 671 Where youths lawlessenesse can finde pity what wickednesse can it forbeare 1015 Youth and ease let loose their appetites 1145 A lesson for youth froÌ„ Christs being so timely in the Temple 1187 The wayes of youth steep and slippery 1273 1274 Youth described very largely 1313 Z ZAcharie Of him and the Angell 1159 How chosen to his ministration 1160 Why an Angell and why this Angell was sent to him 1161 Of his speechlessenesse 1163 Zeale the goodnesse of God in winking at the errours of honest zeale 903 The zeale of God barres out weake deliberations 938 Gods loue to our zeale ibid. Wisdome is a good guide for zeale 968 We may learne zeale of Idolaters 1008 Good zeale cannot beare out presumption 1019 The heat of zeale what preiudice it doth sometimes 1120 Selfe-loue doth sometimes borrow the face of true zeale 1121 Worldly hearts can see nothing in actions of zeale but folly and madnesse 1130 Ziba of him and Mephibosheth 1131 His flattery and falshood discouered 1132 His due what it was deseruedly 1133 Ziglag spoyled and reuenged 1113 Gentle READER THE end of making Tables is not that thereby men might bee made Truants but it is rather to helpe to those memories that are weake or whose occasions are so great as that they cannot intend to turne ouer such a Volume as this though worth thy dayly and diligent reading and reuiewing For the further benefiting of thy selfe therefore take to thee this Rule Where euer thou findest any Obseruation or Aphorisme there if thou wilt make any further vse cast thine eyes on that which goes before or followes after and thou shalt finde it offering thee both excellent comfort and a furthering of thine inuention to the benefiting both of thy selfe and others And this I will promise thee further that if God shall lend this Mellifluous Bernard of Our Times the time of perfecting His Contemplations thou shalt haue in an other Volume as compleat a Table as this for finding euery particular word or Sentence And because there is feare on the Buyers part that there shall bee still additions of his Contemplations whereby he is discouraged from buying this Volume let me assure thee that it is the Authors intention to set out no more parts thereof vntill it riseth to a complete second Tome But content thy selfe with this that thou hast and pray to God with mee for the life and health of this Great Light and shining Lampe of our Church and I doubt not but he will giue good satisfaction vnto those that are industrious and ingenious And so I rest Thine as farre as thou wishest well to this Workman and his Labours Ro. Lo.
in the graine but in the heart If the hearts of men were not more blasted with couetousnesse and cruell selfe-loue than their graine with distemper of aire this needed not The Barnes and Granaries are full the Markets empty Authority knowes how to remedy this euill how to preuent a dearth in abundance that men may not affamish whom God hath fed and that when God hath giuen vs the staffe of bread it may not bee either hid or broken shortly that our store may not be iudged by the appearance Ciuill Wisemen and statesmen especially may not alwaies looke the same way they would goe like skilfull Sea-men they sometimes lauere and as the wind may stand fetch compasses of lawfull policies to their wished point That of Tiberius was fearefull of whom Xiphiline 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he sayled euer against the wind of his words But sometimes a good Constantius or Anastasius will wisely pretend what hee intends not As our Sauiour made as if hee went further when hee meant to turne into Emaus The hearts of Kings are as deepe waters wee may not thinke to draine them in the hollow of our hand Secret things to them of whom God hath said Dixi Dij estis things reuealed to vs and our children Euen we meane ones would be loth to haue alwayes our hearts read in our faces Iudge not therefore according to the appearance Diuine In these our speech must dwell If we should iudge according to the appearance we should thinke basely of the Sauiour of the world Who that had seene him sprawling and wringing in the Cratch flitting to Aegypt chopping of chips at Nazareth famishing in the Desert transported by Satan attended by Fishermen persecuted by his Kinred betraied by one Seruant abiured by another forsaken of all apprehended arraigned condemned buffeted spat vpon scourged to bloud sceptred with the reede crowned with thornes nailed to the Crosse hanging naked betwixt two Theeues scorned of the beholders sealed vp in a borrowed graue could say other than Hee hath no forme nor beauty when wee shall see him there is nothing that wee should desire him Who that should haue seene his skinne all dewed with pearles of bloudy sweat his backe bleeding his face blubbered and besmeared his forehead harrowed his hands and feet pierced his side gushing out his head bowed downe in death and should withall haue heard his dying lips say My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee would not haue said Hee is despised and reiected of men yea in appearance of God himselfe Yet euen this while to the cutting of the sinewes of those stiffe-necked Iewes the Angels owned him for their Lord the Sages adored him the Starre designed him the Prophets foreshewed him the Deuils confest him his Miracles euinced him the earth shooke the Rocks rent the Dead lookt out the Sunne lookt in astonished at the sufferings of the God of nature Euen whiles he was despised of men he commanded the Deuils to their chaines whiles base men shot out their tongues at him Principalities and Powers bowed their knees to him whiles he hanged despicably vpon the tree of shame the powers of hell were dragged captiue after the triumphant chariot of his Crosse the appearance was not so contemptible as the truth of his estate glorious Iudge not therefore according to the appearance Should appearance bee the rule how scornfully would the carnall eye ouer-looke the poore ordinances of God What would it finde here but foolishnesse of preaching homelinesse of Sacraments an inky Letter a Priests lips a sauorlesse message a morsell of Bread a mouth full of Wine an handfull of Water a slander-beaten Crosse a crucified Sauiour a militant Church a despised profession When yet this foolishnesse of preaching is the power of God to saluation these mute Letters the liuely Oracles of God these vile Lips the Cabinets of heauen to preserue knowledge this vnplausible Message Magnalia Dei this Water the Water of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Bread the Manna of Angels thi Wine heauenly Nectar this Church the Kings Daughter all glorious within this dying Sacrifice the Lord of life this Crosse the Banner of Victory this Profession Heauen vpon earth Iudge not therefore according to appearance Should appearance be the rule woe were Gods children happy were his enemies Who that had seene Cain standing masterly ouer the bleeding carkasse of Abel Ioseph in his bonds his Mistresse in her dresse Moses in the Flags Pharaoh in the Palace Dauid sculking in the Wildernesse Saul commanding in the Court Elias fainting vnder his Iuniper tree Iezebel painting in her closet Michaiah in the prison Zidkijah in the presence Ieremy in the dungeon Zedekiah in the throne Daniel trembling among the Lions the Median Princes feasting in their Bowers Iohns head bleeding in the Platter Herods smiling at the Reuels Christ at the Barre Pilate on the Bench the Disciples scourged the Scribes and Elders insulting would not haue said O happy Caine Potiphars wife Pharaoh Saul Iezebel Zidkijah Zedekiah Median Princes Pilate Herod Elders miserable Abel Ioseph Moses Dauid Eliah Michaiah Ieremy Daniel Iohn Christ the Disciples Yet wee know Caines victory was as wofull as Abels martyrdome glorious Iosephs irons were more precious than the golden tires of his Mistresse Moses Reedes were more sure than Pharaohs Cedars Dauids Caâ—e in the Desart more safe than the Towers of Saul Eliahs Rauen a more comfortable purueyor than all the Officers of Iezebel Michaiahs prison was the gard-chamber of Angels when Ahabs presence was the counsell-chamber of euill spirits Ieremies Dungeon had more true light of comfort than the shining state of Zedekiah Daniel was better garded with the Lions than Darius and the Median Princes with their Ianisaries Iohns head was more rich with the Crowne of his martyrdome than Herods with the Diadem of his Tetrarchate Christ at the Barre gaue life and being to Pilate on the Bench gaue motion to those hands that strucke him to that tongue that condemned him and in the meane while gaue sentence on his Iudge The Disciples were better pleased with their stripes and wales than the Iewish Elders with their proud Phylacteries After this who that had seene the primitiue Christians some broyled on Gridirons others boyled in Lead some roasted others frozen to death some fleaed others torne with horses some crashed in peeces by the teeth of Lions others cast downe from the rocks to the stakes some smiling on the wheele others in the flame al werying their tormentors and shaming their Tyrants with their patience would not haue said Of all things I would not be a Christian Yet euen this while were these poore torturing-stocks higher as Marcus Arethusius bragged than their persecutors dying Victors yea Victors of death neuer so glorious as when they began not to be in gasping crowned in yeelding the ghost more than Conquerours Iudge not therefore according to appearance When thou lookest about and seest on
the one hand a poore conscionable Christian drouping vnder the remorse for his sinne austerely checking his wanton appetite and curbing his rebellious desires wearing out his daies in a rough penitentiall seuerity cooling his infrequent pleasures with sighs and sawcing them with teares on the other hand ruffling Gallants made all of pleasure and Iouiall delights bathing themselues in a sea of all sensuall satieties denying their pampered nature nothing vnder heauen not wine in bowles not strange flesh and beastly dalliance not vnnaturall titillations not violent filthinesse that feast without feare and drinke without measure and sweare without feeling and liue without God their bodies are vigorous their coffers full their state prosperous their hearts cheerefull O how thou blessest such men Lo these thou saist these are the dearlings of heauen and earth Sic ô ficiuvat vinere Whiles those other sullen mopish creatures are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 off-scouring and recrements of the world Thou foole giue me thy hand let mee lead thee with Dauid into the sanctuary of God Now what seest thou The end the end of these men is not peace Surely ô God thou hast set them in slippery places and castest them downe into desolation how suddenly are they perished and horribly consumed Woe is mee they doe but dance a Galliard ouer the mouth of hell that seemes now couered ouer with the greene sods of pleasure The higher they leape the more desperate is their lighting Oh wofull wofull condition of those godlesse men yea those Epicurean Pockets whose belly is their God whose heauen is their pleasure whose cursed iollity is but a feeding vp to an eternall slaughter the day is comming wherein euery minute of their sinfull vnsatisfying ioyes shall be answered with a thousand thousand millions of yeeres frying in that vnquenchable fire And when those damned Ghosts shall forth of their incessant flames see the glorious remuneration of the penitent and pensiue soules which they haue despised they shall then gnash and yell out that late recantation Wee fooles thought their life madnesse and their end without honour now they are counted among the children of God and the portion is among the Saints our amongst Deuils Iudge not therefore according to appearance Should we iudge according to appearance all would be Gold that glistereth all drosse that glistereth not Hypocrites haue neuer shewed more faire than some Saints foule Saul weepes Ahab walkes softly Tobias and Sanballat will bee building Gods walles Herod heares Iohn gladly Balaam prophesies Christ Iudas preaches him Satan confesses him When euen an Abraham dissembles a Dauid clokes adultery with murder a Salomon giues at least a toleration to idolatry a Peter forsweares his Master brieffly the prime disciple is a Satan Satan an Angell of light For you How gladly are we deceiued in thinking you all such as you seeme None but the Court of Heauen hath a fairer face Prayers Sermons Sacraments geniculation silence attention reuerence applause knees eyes eares mouthes full of God Oh that ye were thus alwaies Oh that this were your worst side But if wee follow you from the Church and finde cursing and bitternesse vnder your tongues licentious disorder in your liues bribery and oppression in your hands If God looke into the windowes of your hearts and finde there be intus vapina we cannot iudge you by the appearance or if we could What comfort were it to you to haue deceiued our charity with the appearance of Saints when the righteous Iudge shall giue you your portion with Hypocrites What euer wee doe he will be sure not to iudge according to the appearance If appearance should bee the rule false religion should be true true false Quaedam falsa probabiliora quibusdam veris is the old word Some falshoods are more likely than some truths Natiue beauty scornes Art Truth is as a matron Error a curtizan The matron cares onely to concile loue by a graue and gracefull modesty the curtizan with philtres and farding Wee haue no hierarchy mounted aboue Kings no pompous ostentation of magnificence no garish processions no gaudy altars no fine images clad with Taffates in summer with veluets in winter no flourishes of vniuersality no rumors of miracles no sumptuous canonizations wee haue nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincerity of Scriptures simplicity of Sacraments decency of rare ceremonies Christ crucified We are gone if yee goe by appearance Gone alas who can but blush and weepe and bleed to see that Christian soules should after such beames of knowledge suffer themselues to bee thus palpably cozened with the gilded slips of error that after so many yeeres pious gouernment of such an incomparable succession of religious Princes authority should haue cause to complaine of our defection Deare Christians I must be sharpe are we children or fooles that wee should bee better pleased with the glittering tinsel of a painted baby from a Pedlers shop than with the secretly-rich and inualuable Iewell of diuine Truth Haue we thus learned Christ Is this the fruit of so cleere a Gospell of so blessed scepters For Gods sake bee wise and honest and yee cannot be Apostates Shortly for it were easie to bee endlesse If appearance might bee the rule good should bee euill euill good there is no vertue that cannot bee counterfetted no vice that cannot bee blanched wee should haue no such friend as our enemy a flatterer no such enemie as our friend that reproues vs. It were a wonder if yee great ones should not haue some such burs hanging vpon your sleeues As soone shall corne grow without chaffe as greatnesse shall bee free from adulation These seruile spirits shall sooth vp all your purposes and magnifie all your actions and applaud your words and adore your persons Sin what yee will they will not checke you Proiect what you will they will not thwart you say what ye will they will not faile to second you bee what yee will they will not faile to admire you Oh how these men are all for you all yours all you They loue you as the Rauens doe your eyes How deare was Sisera to Iael when she smoothed him vp and gaue him milke in a lordly dish Samson to Dalilah when she lulled him in her lap Christ to Iudas when he kissed him See how he loued him would some foole haue said that had iudged by appearance In the meane time an honest plaine dealing friend is like those sauces which a man praises with teares in his eyes like a chesnut which pricks the fingers but pleases our taste or like some wholsome medicinall potion than distastes and purges vs perhaps makes vs sicke that it may heale vs. Oh let the righteous smite mee for that is a benefit let him reproue mee and it shall bee a precious oyle that shall not breake my head Breake it no it shall heale it when it is mortally wounded by my owne sinne by others assentation Oh how happy were it if we could loue