Contemplations VPON THE Principall passages of the Holy STORY By IOS HALL LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Fetherstone 1618. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD the LORD HAY Baron of SALEY one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie COVNSELL RIGHT HO Vpon how iust reason these my Contemplations goe forth so late after their fellowes it were needlesse to giue account to your LO in whose trayne I had the honor since my last to passe both the SEA and the TWEDE All my priuate studies haue gladly vayled to the publique seruices of my Soueraigne Master No sooner could I recouer the happinesse of my quiet thoughts then I renued this my diuine taske Wherein I cannot but professe to place so much contentment as that I wish not any other measure of my life then it What is this other then the exaltation of ISAACS delight to walke forth into the pleasant fields of the Scriptures and to meditate of nothing vnder heauen Yea what other then IACOBS sweet vision of Angels climbing vp and downe that sacred ladder which GOD hath set betwixt heauen and earth Yea to rise yet hyer what other then an imitation of holy MOYSES in his conuersing with GOD himselfe on the Horeb of both Testaments And if I may call your LO forth a little from your great affaires of Court and State to blesse your eyes with this prospect how happy shall you confesse this change of obiects and how vnwillingly shall you obtaine leaue of your thoughts to returne vnto these sublunary imployments Our last discourse left Gods ARKE amongst the Philistims now we returne to see what it doth there and to fetch it thence Wherein your LO shall finde the reuenges of God neuer so deadly as when he giues most way vnto men The vaine confidence of wickednes ending in a late repentance The fearefull plagues of a presumptuous sawcinesse with God not preuented with the honestie of good intentions The mercy of God accepting the seruices of an humble faithfulnes in a meaner dresse From thence you shall see the dangerous issue of an affected innovation although to the better The errors of credulitie and blinde affection in the holiest gouernors guilty of the peoples discontentment The stubburne heddinesse of a multitude that once findes the reynes slacke in their necks not capable of any pause but their owne fall The vntrusty promises of a faire outside and a plausible entrance shutting vp in a wofull disappointment What doe I forestall a discourse so full of choyce your LO shall finde eâ—â—cry line vsefull and shall willingly confesse that the story of God can make a man not lesse wise then good Mine humble thankfulnes knowes not how to expresse it selfe otherwise then in these kinde of presents and in my hearty prayers for the increase of your Honor and Happinesse which shall neuer bee wanting from Your Lo sincerely and thankfully deuoted IOS HALL Contemplations THE ARKE and DAGON MEN could not arise to such height of impiety if they did not mistake God The acts of his iust iudgement are imputed to impotence that God would send his Arke captiue to the Philistims is so construed by them as if he could not keep it The wife of Phinehas cryed out that glory was departed from Israel The Philistims dare say in triumph that glory is departed from the God of Israel The Arke was not Israels but Gods this victory reaches higher then to men Dagon had neuer so great a day so many sacrifices as now that he seemes to take the God of Israel prisoner Where should the captiue be bestowed but in the custodie of the Victor It is not loue but insultation that lodges the Arke close beside Dagon What a spectacle was this to see vncircumcised Philistims laying their profane hands vpon the testimonie of Gods presence to see the glorious mercy seat vnder the roofe of an Idoll to see the two Cherubins spreading their wings vnder a false God OH the deepe and holy wisdome of the Almightie which ouer-reaches all the finite conceit of his creature who while he seemes most to neglect himselfe fetches about most glory to his owne name He winks and sits still on purpose to see what men would doe and is content to suffer indignitie from his creature for a time that he may be euerlastingly magnified in his iustice and power That honor pleaseth God and men best which is raised out of contempt THE Arke of God was not vsed to such porters The Philistims carry it vnto Ashdod that the victory of Dagon may be more glorious What paines superstition puts men vnto for the triumph of a false cause And if profane Philistims can thinke it no toyle to carry the Arke where they should not what a shame is it for vs if we doe not gladly attend it where we should How iustly may Gods truth scorne the imparitie of our zeale IF the Isralites did put confidence in the Arke can we maruell that the Philistims did put confidence in that power which as they thought had conquered the Arke The lesse is euer subiect vnto the greater What could they now thinke but that heauen and earth were theirs Who shall stand out against them when the God of Israel hath yeelded Securitie and presumption attend euer at the threshold of ruine GOD will let them sleepe in this confidence in the morning they shall finde how vainely they haue dreamed Now they begin to finde they haue but gloryed in their owne plague and ouerthrowne nothing but their owne peace Dagon hath an house when God hath but a Tabernacle It is no measuring of religion by outward glory Into this house the proud Phoenitians come the next morning to congratulate vnto their god so great a captiue such diuine spoiles and in their early deuotions to fall downe before him vnder whom the God of Israel was fallen and lo where they finde their god fallen downe on the ground vpon his face before him whom they thought both his prisoner and theirs Their god is forced to doe that which they should haue done voluntarily although God casts downe that dumbe riuall of his for scorne not for adoration Oh yee foolish Philistims could yee think that the same house could hold GOD DAGON could yee thinke a senselesse stone a fit companion and guardian for the liuing GOD Had yee laid your Dagon vpon his face prostrate before the Arke yet would not God haue indured the indignitie of such a lodging but now that yee presume to set vp your carued stone equall to his Cherubins go read your folly in the floore of your temple and know that hee which cast your god so low can cast you lower THE true God owes a shame to those which will be making matches betwixt himselfe and Belial BVT this perhaps was onely a mischance or a neglect of attendance lay to your hands ô yee Philistims and raise vp Dagon into his place It is a miserable god that needs helping vp Had
worthy that our want of thee here should make vs want the presence of thy face for euer The SAGES and the STARRE THE shepherdes and the cratch accorded well yet euen they saw nothing which they might not cōtemne neither was there any of those shepherds that seemed not more like a King then that King whom they came to see But oh the diuine maiestie that shined in this basenesse There lies the babe in the stable crying in the manger whom the Angels came downe from heauen to proclaime whom the Sages come from the East to adore whom an heauenly starre notifies to the world that now men might see that heauen earth serues him that neglected himselfe Those lights that hang low are not farre seene but those which are high placed are equally seene in the remotest distances Thy light O Sauiour was no lesse then heauenly The East saw that which Bethleem might haue seene Oft-times those which are neerest in place are farthest off in affection Large obiects when they are too close to the eye doe so ouer-fill the sense that they are not discerned What a shame is this to Bethleem The Sages came out of the East to worship him whom that village refused The Bethleemites were Iewes The wisemen Gentiles This first entertainment of Christ was a presage of the sequell The Gentiles shall come from far to adore Christ whiles the Iewes reiect him Those Easterlings were great searchers of the depths of nature professed Philosophers them hath God singled out to the honor of the manifestation of Christ Humane learning well improued makes vs capable of diuine There is no knowledge whereof God is not the author he would neuer haue bestowed any gift that should lead vs away from himselfe It is an ignorant conceit that inquiry into nature should make men Atheous No man is so apt to see the starre of Christ as a diligent disciple of Philosophie Doubtlesse this light was visible vnto more onely they followed it which knew it had more then nature He is truely wise that is wise for his owne soule If these wise men had beene acquainted with all the other starres of heauen and had not seene the starre of Christ they had had but light enough to lead them into vtter darknesse Philosophy without the starre is but the wispe of error These Sages were in a meane betweene the Angels and the shepherds God would in all the ranks of intelligent creatures haue some to be witnesses of his Sonne The Angels direct the shepherds the starre guides the Sages the duller capacitie hath the more cleare and powerfull helps The wisdome of our good GOD proportions the meanes vnto the disposition of the persons Their Astronomy had taught them this starre was not ordinary whether in site or in brightnes or in motion The eyes of nature might well see that some strange newes was portended to the world by it But that this starre designed the birth of the Messias there needed yet another light If the starre had not besides had the commentarie of a reuelation from God it could haue led the wisemen onely into a fruitlesse wonder Giue them to bee the ofspring of Balaam yet the true prediction of that false Prophet was not enough warrant If he told them the Messiah should arise as a starre out of Iacob he did not tell them that a starre should arise far from the posteritie of Iacob at the birth of the Messiah He that did put that prophesie into the mouth of Balaam did also put this illumination into the heart of the Sages The spirit of God is free to breath where he listeth Many shall come from the East and the West to seeke Christ when the children of the kingdome shall be shut out Euen then God did not so confine his election to the pale of the Church as that he did not sometimes looke out for speciall instruments of his glory Whither do these Sages come but to Ierusalem where should they hope to heare of the new King but in the mother Citie of the kingdom The conduct of the starre was first only generall to Iudea the rest is for a time left to inquiry They were not brought thither for their owne sakes but for Iuries for the worlds that they might helpe to make the Iewes inexcusable and the world faithfull That their tongues therefore might blason the birth of Christ they are brought to the head Citie of Iudea to report inquire Their wisdome could not teach them to imagine that a King could be borne to Iudea of that note and magnificence that a starre from heauen should publish him to the earth and that his subiects should not know it and therefore as presupposing a common notice they say Where is he that is borne King of the Iewes There is much deceit in probabilities especially when we meddle with spirituall matters For God vses still to goe a way by himselfe If we iudge according to reason and appearance who is so likely to vnderstand heauenly truths as the profound Doctors of the world these God passeth ouer and reueales his will to babes Had these Sages met with the shepherds of the villages neere Bethleem they had receiued that intelligence of Christ which they did vainely seeke from the learned Scribes of Hierusalem The greatest Clarks are not alwaies the wisest in the affaires of God these things go not by discourse but by reuelation No sooner hath the starre brought them within the noise of Ierusalem then it is vanished out of sight God would haue their eyes lead them so farre as till their tongues might bee set on worke to winne the vocall attestation of the cheife Preists and Scribes to the fore-appointed place of our Sauiours natiuitie If the starre had caried them directly to Bethleem the learned Iewes had neuer searched the truth of those prophesies wherewith they are since iustly convinced God neuer withdrawes our helps but for a further aduantage Howsoeuer our hopes seeme crossed where his name may gaine we cannot complaine of losse Litle did the Sages thinke this question would haue troubled Herod they had I feare concealed their message if they had suspected this euent Sure they thought it might be some son or grandchild of him which then held the throne so as this might winne fauour from Herod rather then an vnwelcome feare of riualitie Doubtlesse they went first to the Court where else should they aske for a King The more pleasing this newes had bin if it had falne vpon Herods owne loines the more greeuous it was to light vpon a stranger If Herod had not ouer-much affected greatnesse he had not vpon those indirect termes aspired to the crowne of Iewry so much the more therefore did it trouble him to heare the rumor of a successor and that not of his owne Setled greatnesse cannot abide either change or partnership If any of his subiects had moued this question I feare his head had answered it It is well that the
imployed in our diuine seruices and we are admitted to be coagents with our Ministers At last Zachary comes out speechles and more amases them with his presence then with his delay The eyes of the multitude that were not worthy to see his vision yet see the signes of his vision that the world might be put into the expectation of some extraordinary sequell God makes way for his voice by silence His speech could not haue said so much as his dumbnes Zachary would faine haue spoken and could not with vs too many are dumbe and need not Negligence Feare Partialitie stop the mouthes of many which shall once say Woe to me because I held my peace His hand speaks that which he cannot with his tongue and he makes them by signes to vnderstand that which they might read in his face Those powers we haue we must vse But though he haue ceased to speake yet hee ceased not to minister Hee takes not this dumbnes for a dismission but staies out the eight daies of his course as one that knew the eyes and hands and heart would be accepted of that God which had bereaued him of his tongue We may not streight take occasions of with-drawing our selues from the publique seruices of our God much less vnder the Gospell The Law which stood much vpon bodily perfection dispensed with age for attendance The Gospell which is all for the soule regards those inward powers which whiles they are vigorous exclude all excuses of our ministration The Annuntiation of CHRIST THE spirit of God was neuer so accurate in any description as that which concerns the incarnation of God It was fit no circumstance should bee omitted in that story whereon the faith and saluation of all the world dependeth Wee cannot so much as doubt of this truth and be saued no not the number of the month not the name of the Angell is concealed Euery particle imports not more certainty then excellence The time is the sixth month after Iohns conception the prime of the spring Christ was conceiued in the spring borne in the Solstice Hee in whom the world receiued a new life receiues life in the same season wherein the world receiued his first life from him and he which stretches out the daies of his Church and lengthens them to eternitie appeares after all the short and dimme light of the Law and inlightens the world with his glory The messenger is an Angell A man was too meane to carry the newes of the conception of God Neuer any busines was conceiued in heauen that did so much concerne the earth as the conception of the God of heauen in a wombe of earth No lesse then an Arch-Angell was worthy to beare this tidings and neuer any Angell receiued a greater honor then of this embassage It was fit our reparation should answer our fall an euill Angell was the first motioner of the one to Eue a Virgin then espoused to Adam in the garden of Eden A good Angell is the first reporter of the other to Mary a Virgin espoused to Ioseph in that place which as the garden of Galile had a name from flourishing No good Angell could be the author of our restauration as that euill Angell was of our ruine But that which those glorious spirits could not doe themselues they are glad to report as done by the God of Spirits Good newes reioyces the bearer with what ioy did this holy Angell bring the newes of that Sauiour in whom we are redeemed to life himselfe established in life and glory The first preacher of the Gospell was an Angell that office must needs be glorious that deriues it selfe from such a predecessor God appointed his Angell to be the first preacher and hath since called his Preachers Angels The message is well suited An Angell comes to a Virgin Gabriel to Mary He that was by signification the strength of God to her that was by signification exalted by God to the conceiuing of him that was the God of strength To a maide but espowsed a maide for the honor of Virginitie espoused for the honor of mariage The mariage was in a sort made not consummate through the instinct of him that ment to make her not an example but a miracle of women In this whole worke God would haue nothing ordinary It was fit that shee should be a maried Virgin which should be a Virgin-mother Hee that ment to take mans nature without mans corruption would be the sonne of man without mans seed would be the seede of the woman without man and amongst all women of a pure Virgin but amongst Virgins of one espoused that there might be at once a witnes and a guardian of her fruitfull Virginitie If the same God had not bin the author of Virginity and Mariage hee had neuer countenanced Virginitie by mariage Whither doth this glorious Angell come to finde the mother of him that was God but to obscure Galile A part which euen the Iewes themselues despised as forsaken of their priuiledges Out of Galile ariseth no Prophet Behold an Angell comes to that Galile out of which no Prophet comes and the God of Prophets and Angels descends to be conceiued in that Galile out of which no Prophet ariseth He that filleth all places makes no difference of places It is the person which giues honor and priuiledge to the place not the place to the person as the presence of God makes the heauen the heauen doth not make the owner glorious No blinde corner of Nazareth can hide the blessed Virgin from the Angell The fauors of God will finde out his children wheresoeuer they are withdrawne It is the fashion of God to seeke out the most despised on whom to bestow his honors we cannot runne away as from the iudgments so not from the mercies of our God The cottages of Galile are preferred by God to the famous pallaces of Ierusalem he cares not how homely hee conuerse with his owne Why should we be transported with the outward glory of places whiles our God regards it not We are not of the Angels dyet if wee had not rather bee with the blessed Virgin at Nazareth then with the proud dames in the Court of Ierusalem It is a great vanity to respect any thing aboue goodnes and to dis-esteeme goodnes for any want The Angell salutes the Virgin he prayes not to her He salutes her as a Saint he prayes not to her as a Goddess For vs to salute her as hee did were grosse presumption For neither are we as he was neither is shee as shee was If hee that was a spirit saluted her that was flesh and blood here on earth it is not for vs that are flesh and blood to salute her which is a glorious spirit in heauen For vs to pray to her in the Angels salutation were to abuse the Virgin the Angell the salutation But how gladly doe wee second the Angell in the praise of her which was more ours then his How
whom Augustus raigned in the womb of thy mother yeeld this homage to Augustus The first lesson that euer thy example taught vs was obedience After many steps are Ioseph and Mary come to Bethleem The plight wherein shee was would not allow any speed and the forced leisure of the ionrney causeth disappointment the end was worse then the way there was no rest in the way there was no roome in the Inne It could not be but that there were many of the kinred of Ioseph Mary at that time in Bethleem For both there were their auncestors borne if not themselues and thither came vp all the cosens of their blood yet there and then doth the holy Virgin want roome to lay either her head or her burthen If the house of Dauid had not lost all mercy and good nature a daughter of Dauid could not so neere the time of her trauell haue bin destitute of lodging in the Citie of Dauid Litle did the Bethleemites think what a guest they refused Else they would gladly haue opened their dores to him which was able to open the gates of heauen to them Now their in hospitalitie is punishment enough to it selfe They haue lost the honor and happinesse of being host to their God Euen still O blessed Sauiour thou standest at our dores and knockest Euery motion of thy good spirit tells vs thou art there Now thou commest in thy owne name and there thou standest whiles thy head is full of the deaw and thy locks wet with the drops of the night If wee suffer carnall desires and worldly thoughts to take vp the lodgings of our heart and reuell within vs whiles thou waitest vpon our admission surely our iudgment shall be so much the greater by how much better wee know whom we haue excluded What do we cry shame on the Bethleemites whilest wee are wilfully more churlish more vnthankfull There is no roome in my heart for the wonder at this humilitie He for whom heauen is too strait whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe lies in the strait cabbin of the wombe and when hee would inlarge himselfe for the world is not allowed the roome of an Inne The many mansions of heauen were at his disposing the earth was his and the fullnes of it yet he suffers himselfe to bee refused of a base cottage and complaineth not What measure should discontent vs wretched men when thou O God farest thus from thy creatures How should we learne both to want and abound from thee which abounding with the glory and riches of heauen wouldst want a lodging in thy first welcome to the earth Thou camest to thy own thy own receiued thee not How can it trouble vs to be reiected of the world which is not ours What wonder is it if thy seruants wandred abroad in sheeps skins and goats skins destitute afflicted when their Lord is denied harbour How should all the world blush at this indignitie of Bethleem He that came to saue men is sent for his first lodging to the beasts The stable is become his Inne the cratch his bed O strange cradle of that great King which heauen it selfe may enuie O Sauiour thou that wert both the maker and owner of heauen of earth couldst haue made thee a pallace without hands couldst haue commanded thee an empty room in those houses which thy creatures had made When thou didst but bid the Angels auoide their first place they fell downe from heauen like lightning and when in thine humbled estate thou didst but say I am he who was able to stand before thee How easie had it bin for thee to haue made place for thy selfe in the throngs of the stateliest Courts Why wouldst thou be thus homely but that by cōtemning worldly glories thou mightst teach vs to contemne them that thou mightst sanctifie pouerty to them whom thou callest vnto want that since thou which hadst the choice of all earthly conditions wouldst be borne poore and despised those which must want out of necessitie might not thinke their pouerty greeuous Here was neither frend to entertaine nor seruant to attend nor place wherein to be attended onely the poore beasts gaue way to the God of all the world It is the great mysterie of godlinesse that God was manifested in the flesh and seene of Angels but here which was the top of all wonders the very beasts might see their maker For those spirits to see God in the flesh it was not so strange as for the brute creatures to see him which was the God of spirits He that would be led into the wildernes amongst wilde beasts to be tempted would come into the house of beasts to be borne that from the height of his diuine glory his humiliation might bee the greater How can we be abased low enough for thee O Sauiour that hast thus neglected thy selfe for vs That the visitation might be answerable to the homelinesse of the place attendants prouision who shall come to congratulate his birth but poore shepherds The Kings of the earth rest at home and haue no summons to attend him by whom they raigne God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty In an obscure time the night vnto obscure men shepherds doth God manifest the light of his Sonne by glorious Angels It is not our meannesse O God that can exclude vs from the best of thy mercies yea thus far dost thou respect persons that thou hast put downe the mighty and exalted them of low degree If these shepherds had beene snorting in their beds they had no more seene Angels nor heard newes of their Sauiour then their neighbours Their vigilancie is honored with this heauenly vision Those which are industrious in any calling are capable of further blessings whereas the idle are fit for nothing but temptation No lesse then a whole Chore of Angels are worthy to sing the hymne of Glory to God for the incarnation of his Sonne What ioy is enough for vs whose nature he tooke and whom he came to restore by his incarnation If we had the tongues of Angels wee could not raise this note high enough to the praise of our glorious Redeemer No sooner do the shepherds heare the newes of a Sauiour then they runne to Bethleem to seeke him Those that left their beds to tend their flocks leaue their flocks to inquire after their Sauiour No earthly thing is too deere to bee forsaken for Christ If we suffer any worldly occasion to stay vs from Bethleem wee care more for our sheepe then our soules It is not possible that a faithfull heart should heare where Christ is not labour to the sight to the fruition of him Where art thou O Sauiour but at home in thine owne house in the assembly of thy Saints Where art thou to be found but in thy word and sacraments yea there thou seekest for vs if there wee haste not to seeke for thee wee are worthy to want thee
that had learned to begin his rule in obedience Saul staies seuen dayes in Gilgal according to the Prophets direction and still he lookes long for Samuel which had promised his presence six dayes he expects and part of the seuenth yet Samuel is not come The Philistims draw neere the Israelites runneaway Samuel comes not they must fight God must be supplicated what should Saul doe rather then God should want a sacrifice and the people satisfaction Saul will command that which hee knew Samuel would if he were present both command and execute It is not possible thinks hee that God should be displeased with a sacrifice he cannot but be displeased with indeuotion Why doe the people runne from mee but for want of meanes to make God sure What would Samuel rather wish then that we should be godly The act shall be the same the onely differences shall be in the 〈◊〉 If Samuel be wanting to vs we will not be wanting to God It is but an holy preuention to be deuout vnbidden Vpon this conceit he commands a sacrifice Sauls sinnes make no great show yet are they still hainously taken the impiety of them was more hidden and inward from all eyes but Gods If Saul were among the Prophets before will hee now be among the Preists Can there be any deuotion in disobedience O vaine man What can it auaile thee to sacrifice to God against God Hypocrites rest onely in formalities If the outward act be done it sufficeth them though the ground be distrust the manner vnreuerence the cariage presumption WHAT then should Saul haue done Vpon the trust of God Samuel he should haue staied out the last houre and haue secretly sacrificed himselfe and his praiers vnto that God which loues obedience aboue sacrifice Our faith is most commendable in the last act It is no praise to hold out vntill we be hard driuen Then when we are forsaken of meanes to liue by faith in our God is worthy of a crowne God will haue no worship of our deuising wee may onely doe what he bids vs not bid what he commands not Neuer did any true piety arise out of the corrupt puddle of mans braine If it flow not from heauen it is odious to heauen What was it that did thus taint the valour of Saul with this weaknes but distrust He saw some Israelites goe hee thought all would goe he saw the Philistims come he saw Samuel came not his diffidence was guilty of his mis-deuotion There is no sinne that hath not his ground from vnbeleefe This as it was the first infection of our pure nature so is the true source of all corruption man could not sinne if he distrusted not THE sacrifice is no sooner ended then Samuel is come and why came he no sooner He could not be a Seer and not know how much he was lookt for how troublesome and dangerous his absence must needs be He that could tell Saul that he should prophesie could tell that he would sacrifice yet he purposely forbeares to come for the tryall of him that must be the champion of God Samuel durst not haue done thus but by direction from his master It is the ordinarie course of God to proue vs by delaies and to driue vs to exigents that we may shew what we are He that annointed Saul might lawfully from God controll him There must be discretion there may not be partiality in our censures of the greatest God makes difference of sins none of persons if we make differences of sins according to persons we are vnfaithfull both to God and man Scarce is Saul warme in his kingdome when he hath euen now lost it Samuels first words after the inauguration are of Sauls rejection and the choice and establishment of his successor It was euer Gods purpose to settle the kingdom in Iudah He that tooke occasion by the peoples sinne to raise vp Saul in Beniamin takes occasion by Sauls sin to establish the crowne vpon Dauid In humane probabilitie the kingdom was fixed vpon Saul and his more worthy sonne In Gods decree it did but passe through the hands of Beniamin to Iudah Besides trouble how fickle are these earthly glories Saul doubtles lookt vpon Ionathan as the inheritor of his crowne and behold ere his peaceable possession he hath lost it from himselfe Our sinnes strip vs not of our hopes in heauen onely but of our earthly blessings The way to entaile a comfortable prosperitie vpon our seed after vs is our conscionable obedience vnto GOD. JONATHANS victory and Sauls oath IT is no wonder if Saules courage were much cooled with the heauy newes of his reiection After this he staies vnder the pomgranate tree in Gibeah He stirs not toward the garrison of the Philistims As hope is the mother of fortitude so nothing doth more breede cowardlines then despaire Euery thing dismaies that heart which God hath put out of protection Worthy Ionathan which sprung from Saul as some sweet impe growes out of a crabstock is therefore full of valour because full of faith He well knew that hee should haue nothing but discouragements from his fathers feare as rather choosing therefore to auoide all the blocks that might lye in the way then to leap ouer them he departs secretly without the dimission of his father or notice of the people onely God leads him and his armour-bearer followes him O admirable faith of Ionathan whom neither the steepnes of rocks nor the multitude of enemies can disswade from so vnlikely an assault Is it possible that two men whereof one was weaponles should dare to thinke of incountring so many thousands O diuine power of faith that in all difficulties and attempts makes a man more then men and regards no more armies of men then swarmes of flies There is no restraint to the Lord saith he to saue with many or by few It was not so great newes that Saul should be amongst the Prophets as that such a word should come from the sonne of Saul IF his father had had but so much diuinitie he had not sacrificed The strength of his God is the ground of his strength in God The question is not what Ionathan can do but what God can do whose power is not in the meanes but in himself That mans faith is well vnder-layed that vpholds it selfe by the omnipotencie of God thus the father of the faithfull built his assurance vpon the power of the Almighty But many things God can doe which he will not doe How knowest thou Ionathan that God will be as forward as he is able to giue thee victory For this saith hee I haue a watchword from God out of the mouths of the Philistims If they say Come vp we will go vp for God hath deliuered them into our hands If they say Tarie till we come to you we will stand still Ionathan was too wise to trust vnto a casuall presage There might be some farre fetcht coniectures of the euent from the
same God which call'd Dauid to the Court wellcoms him thither His comelinesse valour and skill haue soone wonne him fauour in the eyes of Saul The giuer of all graces hath so placed his fauours that the greatest enemies of goodnes shall see somewhat in the holiest men which they shall affect and for which they shall honor the persons of them whose vertues they dislike as contrarily the Saints on earth see somewhat to loue in the worst creatures No doubt Dauid sung to his Harpe His Harpe was not more sweet then his song was holy Those Psalmes alone had bin more powerfull to chase the euill spirit then the musicke was to calme passions both together gaue ease to Saul and God gaue this effect to both because hee would haue Saul traine vp his successor This sacred musicke did not more dispell Sathan then wanton musicke invites him and more cheeres him then vs He plaies and danceth at a filthy song he sings at an obscure dance Our sinne is his best pastime whereas Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs are torment vnto the tempter and musicke to the Angels in heauen whose trade is to sing Alleluiahs in the Chore of glory Dauid and Goliah AFTER the newes of the Philistims army I heare no more mention of Sauls frenzy Whether the noise of warr diuerted those thoughtfull passions or whether God for his peoples sake tooke off that euill spirit least Israel might miscarry vnder a frantick gouernor Now Dauid hath leisure to returne to Bethleem The glory of the Court cannot transport him to ambitious vanitie He had rather be his fathers shepheard then Sauls armour-bearer All the magnificence and state which he saw could not put his mouth out of the taste of a retired simplicitie yea rather he loues his hook the better since he saw the Court and now his brethren serue Saul in his steed A good heart hath learnt to frame it selfe vnto all conditions can change estates without change of disposition rising and falling according to occasion The worldly minde can rise easily but when it is once vp knowes not how to descend either with patience or safety FORTY dayes together had the Philistims Israelites faced each other they pitched on two hills one in the sight of the other nothing but a valley was betwixt them Both stand vpon defence and aduantage If they had not ment to fight they had neuer drawne so neere and if they had bin eager of fight a valley could not haue parted them Actions of hazard require deliberation not furie but discretion must bee the guide of warre So had Ioshua destroyed the giantly Anakims out of the land of Israel that yet some were left in Azzah Gath and Ashdod both to shew Israel what aduersaries their forefathers found in Canaan whom they mastred as also that God might winne glory to himselfe by these subsequent executions Of that race was Goliah whose heart was as high as his head his strength was answerable to his stature his weapons answerable to his strength his pride exceeded all Because he saw his head higher his armes stronger his sword and speare bigger his shield heauier then any Israelite he defies the whole host and walking between the two armies braues all Israel with a challenge Why are yee come out to set your battaile in aray Am not I a Philistim and you seruants to Saul Choose you a man for you and let him come downe to me giue me a man that we may fight together Carnall hearts are carried away with presumption of their owne abilities and not finding matches to themselues in outward appearance insult ouer the impotencie of inferiors and as those that can see no invisible opposition promise themselues certainty of successe Insolence and selfe-confidence argues the heart to be nothing but a lumpe of proud flesh THE first challenge of Duell that euer we finde came out of the mouth of an vncircumcised Philistim yet was that in open warre and tended to the sauing of many liues by aduenturing one or two and whosoeuer imitateth nay surpasseth him in challenge to priuate Duell in the attempt partaketh of his vncircumcision though he should ouercome and of his manner of punishment if in such priuat combats hee cast away his life For of all such desperate prodigalls wee may say that their heads are cut off by their owne sword if not by their owne hand Wee cannot challenge men and not challenge God who iustly challengeth to himselfe both to take vengeance and to giue successe The more Goliah challenges and is vnanswered the more is he puft vp in the pride of his owne power And is there none of all Israel that will answer this champion otherwise then with his heeles Where is the courage of him that was higher then all Israel from the shoulders vpward The time was when Nahash the Ammonite had made that tyrannous demand of the right eyes of the Gileadites that Saul could aske vnasked What aileth the people to weep and could hew his oxen in peeces to raise the spirits of Israel and now he stands still and sees the host turne their backe and neuer so much as asks what aileth the people to flee The time was when Saul slew forty thousand Philistims in one day and perhaps Goliah was in that discomfiture and now one Philistim is suffred by him to braue all Israel forty dayes whence is this difference The spirit of God the spirit of fortitude was now departed from him Saul was not more aboue himselfe when God was with him then he is below others now that he is left of God Valour is not meerely of nature Nature is euer like it selfe by this rule hee that is once valiant should neuer turne coward But now we see the greatest spirits inconstant and those which haue giuen good proofes of magnanimitie at other times haue bewrayed white liuers vnto their owne reproch Hee that is the God of hostes giues and takes away mens hearts at his pleasure Neither is it otherwise in our spirituall combats sometimes the same soule dare challenge all the powers of darknes which other-whiles giues ground to a temptation Wee haue no strength but what is giuen vs and if the author of all good gifts remit his hand for our humiliation either we fight not or are foyled DAVID hath now lien long enough close amongst his flock in the fields of Bethleem God sees a time to send him to the pitcht field of Israel Good old Ishai that was doubtles ioyfull to thinke that he had afforded three sonnes to the warres of his King is no lesse carefull of their wellfare and prouision and who amongst all the rest of his seuen sonnes shall be pickt out for this seruice but his yongest sonne Dauid whose former almost worne-out acquaintance in the Court and imployment vnder Saul seemed to fit him best for his errand Early in the morning is Dauid vpon his way yet not so early as to leaue his flock
name of forreyners could excuse these Sages Herod could not be brought vp among the Iewes and not haue heard many and confident reports of a Messias that should ere long arise out of Israel and now when hee heares the fame of a King borne whom a starre from heauen signifies and attends hee is netled with the newes Euery thing affrights the guilty Vsurpation is full of ielousies and feare no lesse full of proiects and imaginations it makes vs think euery bush a man and euery man a theefe Why art thou troubled O Herod A King is borne but such a King as whose scepter may euer concurre with lawfull soueraignty yea such a King as by whom Kings doe hold their scepters not loose them If the wise men tell thee of a King the starre tells thee he is heauenly Here is good cause of securitie none of feare The most generall enmities and oppositions to good arise from mistakings If men could but know how much safety and sweetnes there is in all diuine truth it could receiue nothing from them but welcomes gratulations Misconceits haue bin still guilty of all wrongs and persecutions But if Herod were troubled as Tyrannie is still suspicious why was all Ierusalem troubled with him Ierusalem which now might hope for a relaxation of her bonds for a recouery of her liberty and right Ierusalem which now onely had cause to lift vp her drouping head in the ioy and happinesse of a redeemer yet not Herods Court but euen Ierusalem was troubled so had this miserable Citie beene ouer-toyled with change that now they were setled in a condition quietly euill they are troubled with the newes of better They had now got an habit of seruilitie and now they are so acquainted with the yoke that the very noise of liberty which they supposed would not come with ease began to be vnwelcome To turne the causes of ioy into sorrow argues extreame deiectednes and a distemper of iudgment no lesse then desperate Feare puts on a visor of deuotion Herod calls his learned Councell and as not doubting whether the Messiah should be borne he askes where he shall be borne In the disparition of that other light there is a perpetually fixed starre shining in the writings of the Prophets that guides the cheefe Preists Scribes directly vnto Bethleem As yet enuie and preiudice had not blinded the eyes and peruerted the hearts of the Iewish teachers so as now they clearely iustifie that Christ whom they afterwards condemne and by thus iustifying him condemne themselues in reiecting him The water that is vntroubled yeelds the visage perfectly If God had no more witnesse but from his enemies wee haue ground enough of our faith Herod feared but dissembled his feare as thinking it a shame that strangers should see there could any power arise vnder him worthy of his respect or awe Out of an vnwillingnes therefore to discouer the impotency of his passion hee makes litle adoe of the matter but onely after a priuy inquisition into the time imploies the informers in the search of the person Goe and search diligently for the babe c. It was no great iourney from Ierusalem to Bethleem how easily might Herods cruelty haue secretly suborned some of his bloody Courtiers to this enquiry and execution If God had not ment to mocke him before hee found himselfe mocked of the wise-men he had rather sent before their iourney then after their disappointment But that God in whose hands all hearts are did purposely besot him that he might not finde the way to so horrible a mischeefe There is no villany so great but it will maske it selfe vnder a show of piety Herod will also worship the babe The curtesie of a false Tyrant is death A crafty hypocrite neuer meanes so ill as when he speaks fairest The wise-men are vpon their way full of expectation full of desire I see no man either of the Citie or Court to accompanie them Whether distrust or feare hindred them I inquire not but of so many thousand Iewes no one stirres his foote to see that King of theirs which strangers came so farre to visit yet were not these resolute Sages discouraged with this solitarinesse and small respect nor drawne to repent of their iourney as thinking What doe we come so farre to honor a King whom no man will acknowledge What meane we to trauell so many hundred miles to see that which the inhabitants will not looke out to behold but cheerfully renew their iourney to that place which the ancient light of prophesie had designed And now behold God incourages their holy forwardnesse from heauen by sending them their first guide as if hee had said What neede yee care for the neglect of men when yee see heauen honors the King whom yee seeke What ioy these Sages conceiued when their eyes first beheld the re-appearance of that happy starre they onely can tell that after a long and sad night of tentation haue seene the louing countenance of God shining forth vpon their soules If with obedience and courage wee can follow the calling of God in difficult enterprises we shall not want supplies of comfort Let not vs be wanting to God we shall be sure he cannot be wanting to vs. He that led Israel by a pillar of fire into the land of promise leads the wise-men by a starre to the promised seede All his directions partake of that light which is in him For God is light This starre moues both slowly and low as might be fittest for the pace for the purpose of these pilgrims It is the goodnes of God that in those meanes wherein we cannot reach him hee descends vnto vs. Surely when the wise-men saw the star first stand still they looked about to see what Pallace there might be neere vnto that station fit for the birth of a King neither could they thinke that sory shedde was it which the starre ment to point out but finding their guide setled ouer that base roofe they go in to see what guest it held They enter and O God what a King doe they finde how poore how contemptible wrapt in clowts laid in straw cradled in the manger attended with beasts what a sight was this after all the glorious promises of that starre after the predictions of Prophets after the magnificence of their expectation All their way afforded nothing so despicable as that babe whom they came to worship But as those which could not haue bin wise-men vnlesse they had knowne that the greatest glories haue arisen from meane beginnings they fall downe and worship that hidden maiestie This basenesse hath bred wonder in them not contempt they well knew the starre could not lye They which saw his starre a farre off in the East when he lay swadled in Bethleem do also see his royalty further of in the despised estate of his infancy A royalty more then humane They well know that starres did not vse to attend earthly Kings and if
then came the sacrifice that by two holy acts that which was naturally vnholy might be hallowed vnto God Vnder the Gospell our baptisme hath the force of both It does away our corruption by the water of the spirit It applies to vs the sacrifice of Christs blood whereby wee are clensed Oh that wee could magnifie this goodnesse of our God which hath not left our very infancy without redresse but hath prouided such helps as whereby we may be deliuered from the danger of our hereditary euils Such is the fauorable respect of our wise God that he would not haue vs vndoe our selues with deuotion the seruice he requires of vs is ruled by our abilities Euery poore mother was not able to bring a lambe for her offring there was none so poore but might procure a paire of turtles or pigeons These doth God both prescribe and accept from poorer hands no lesse then the beasts of a thousand mountaines Hee lookes for somewhat of euery one not of euery one alike Since it is hee that makes differences of abilities to whom it were as easie to make all rich his mercy will make no difference in the acceptation The truth and heartinesse of obedience is that which he will crowne in his meanest seruants A mite from the poore widow is more worth to him then the talents of the wealthy After all the presents of those Easterne worshippers who intended rather homage then ditation the blessed Virgin comes in the forme of pouerty with her two doues vnto God she could not without some charge lye all this while at Bethleem she could not without charge trauell from Bethleem to Ierusalem Her offring confesseth her penury The best are not euer the wealthiest Who can despise any one for want when the mother of Christ was not rich enough to bring a lambe for her purification Wee may be as happy in russet as in tissue While the blessed VIRGIN brought her son into the Temple with that paire of doues here were more doues then a paire They for whose sake that offring was brought were more doues then the doues that were brought for that offring Her sonne for whom shee brought that doue to be sacrificed was that sacrifice which the doue represented There was nothing in him but perfection of innocence and the oblation of him is that whereby all mothers and sonnes are fully purified Since in our selues we cannot be innocent happy are we if we can haue the spotlesse doue sacrificed for vs to make vs innocent in him The blessed Vigin had more businesse in the Temple then her owne shee came as to purifie her selfe so to present her fonne Euery male that first opened the wombe was holy vnto the Lord He that was the sonne of God by eternall generation before times and by miraculous conception in time was also by common course of nature consecrate vnto God It was fit the holy mother should present God with his own Her first borne was the first borne of all creatures It was he whose Temple it was that he was presented in to whom all the first borne of all creatures were consecrated by whom they were accepted and now is he brought in his mothers armes to his own house and as man is presented to himself as God If Moses had neuer written law of Gods speciall propriety in the first borne this sonne of Gods essence and loue had taken possession of the Temple His right had bin a perfect law to himselfe Now his obedience to that law which himselfe had giuen doth no lesse call him thither then the challenge of his peculiar interest He that was the Lord of all creatures euer since hee stroke the first borne of the Aegyptians requires the first male of all creatures both man and beast to be dedicated to him wherein God caused a miraculous euent to second nature which seemes to challenge the first and best for the maker By this rule God should haue had his seruice done onely by the heyres of Israel But since God for the honor and remuneration of LEVI had chosen out that Tribe to minister vnto him now the first borne of all Israel must be presented to God as his due but by allowance redeemed to their parents As for beasts the first male of the cleane beasts must bee sacrificed of vncleane exchanged for a price So much moralitie is there in this constitution of God that the best of all kindes is fit to be consecrated to the Lord of all Euery thing we haue is too good for vs if we thinke any thing wee haue too good for him How glorious did the Temple now seeme that the owner was within the walls of it Now was the houre and guest come in regard whereof the second Temple should surpasse the first This was his house built for him dedicated to him There had hee dwelt long in his spirituall presence in his typicall There was nothing either placed or done within those walls whereby he was not resembled and now the body of those shadowes is come presents himselfe where hee had bin euer represented Ierusalem is now euery where There is no Church no Christian heart which is not a Temple of the liuing God There is no Temple of God wherein Christ is not presented to his father Looke vpon him O God in whom thou art well pleased and in him and for him be well pleased with vs. Vnder the Gospell we are all first borne all heires Euery soule is to bee holy vnto the Lord we are a royall generation an holy preisthood Our baptisme as it is our circumcision and our sacrifice of purification so is it also our presentation vnto God Nothing can become vs but holinesse O God to whom we are deuoted serue thy selfe of vs glorifie thy selfe by vs till we shall by thee be glorified with thee HEROD and the INFANTS WEL might these wise men haue suspected Herods secrecy If hee had ment well what needed that whispering That which they published in the streets he asks in his priuy chamber yet they not misdoubting his intention purpose to fulfill his charge It could not in their apprehension but bee much honor to them to make their success knowne that now both King and people might see it was not fancie that led them but an assured reuelation That God which brought them thither diuerted them and caused their eyes shut to guide them the best way home These Sages made a happy voyage For now they grew into further acquaintance with God They are honored with a second messenger from heauen They saw the starre in the way the Angell in their bed The starre guided their iourney vnto Christ the Angell directed their returne They saw the starre by day a vision by night God spake to their eyes by the star he speaks to their heart by a dream No doubt they had left much noise of Christ behinde them They that did so publish his birth by their inquiry at Ierusalem could not