Trueth neuer speake it of vs that wee haue the Booke of the Lord in our Hands not the doctrine in our Consciences That wee haue Gods Seales yet vn-marked Soules That De virtutibus vacui loquimâ—â— Wee speake of the Graces wee haue not It was once spoken of Greece in regard of the ruines â—ea of the vtter extinction for Etiam periere ruinae Grâ—ciam in Graecia quaerimus non inuenimus Wee seeke for Greece in Greece and can not find it Let it neuer be sayd of vs in respect of our recidiuall disobedience Angliam in Anglia quaerimus et non inuenta est Wee seeke that famous Church of England in England and finde it not Many loue to liue within the circumference and reach of the Gospell because it hath brought Peace and that Peace Wealth and that Wealth Promotion But if this Health or Quiet might be vpheld or augmented by that Romane Harlot they would be ready to cry Great is Diana of the Ephesians and Christ might lodge long enough at Bethleem ere they would goe to visite him Our liues too prodigiously begin to pretend this But O faxit Deus vt nullum sit in omine pondus And for our selues Bel. Let vs not like the Priestes direct others to a Sauiour and stay at home our selues nor like the Trumpeter that encourageth others to the Battaile against the enemies of God and our saluation Nihil ipse nec ausus nec potuit our selues being Cowards and giuing neuer a stroke It is not enough to tell the people of a Sauiour in Bethleem Opus est etiam praeitione aut saltem coitione et pari congressu Wee must goe before them or at least goe with them For this cause I commend the Fayth of these Magi Seeing the Priestes doctrine concurres with the Starres dumbe direction though Herod will not leaue his Court nor the Scribes their ease nor the People their trades yet these men will goe alone to Christ. When thou art to imbrace Religion it is good going in company if thou canst get them for the greater blessinges â—alles vpon a multitude but resolue to goe though alone For thou shalt neuer see the Lord Iesus if thou tarry till all Ierusalem goe with thee to Bethleem WEe haue heard their Aduent or Accesse listen to the Euent or Successe They saw the young Child with Mary his Mother God hath answered the desire of their hearts they had vndertooke a long Iourney made a diligent inquirie no doubt their Soules longed with Simeon to see their Sauiour Loe he that neuer frustrates the faythfull affection giues abundant satisfaction to their hopes They saw the young Child with Mary his Mother Obserue Whom With whom Where they saw him Whom The young Child Meditate and wonder The Ancient of dayes is become a young Child The Infinitely great is made Litle The sustainer of all things Suckes Factor terrae factus interra Creator coel creatussub coelo He that made Heauen and Earth is made vnder Heauen vpon Earth The Creator of the world is Created in the world Created Litle in the world they saw the young Child With whom With Mary his Mother Mary was his Daughter is she now become his Mother Yes he is made the Child of Mary who is the Father of Mary Sine quo Pater nunquam fuit sine quo mater nunquam fuisset Without whom his Father in Heauen neuer was without whom his Mother on Earth had neuer beene Where It is euident in S. Lukes Gospell they found him lying in a Cratch He who sits on the right hand of the Maiestie on high was lodged in a stable He that Measures the Waters in his Fist and Heauen with a Spaâ—ne was now Crowned in a Manger and swadled with a few Ragges Here they finde neither Gard to defend him nor tumults of people thronging to see him neither Crowne on his Head nor Scepter in his hand but a young Child in a Cratch hauing so litle externall glory that they might haue saued their paine and seene many in their owne Countrey farre beyond him Our instruction hence is that God doth often strangly and strongly exercise the Fayth of his that their perswasion may not be guided Oculis but Oraâ—ulis by their Sight but his Word The eye of true Fayth is so quicke sighted that it can see through all the Mistes and Fogges of difficulties Hereon these Magi doe confidently beleeue that this poore Child lying in so base a manner is the great King of Heauen and Earth The fayth of man that is grounded on the promises of God must beleeue that in prison there is libertie in trouble peace in affliction comfort in Death life in the Crosse a Crowne and in a Manger the Lord Iesus The vse of this teacheth vs not to be offended at the basenesse of the Gospell lest we neuer come to the Honour to see Iesus It was an argument of the Deuils breaching Haue any of the Rulers or Pharises beleeued on him The great the learned the wise giue him no crâ—dence But this people that knoweth not the Law is Cursed None but a few oâ— the rascall companie follow him 〈◊〉 hereof Simeon resolued his mother Mary 〈…〉 set for the fall as well as the risiâ—g againe of many 〈…〉 for a Signe which shall be spoken against He should 〈…〉 but woe vnto them that so esteemed 〈…〉 to worke his will by 〈…〉 should apply a medicine contrary to 〈…〉 of the patient he would haue litle 〈…〉 the disease But such is Gods mâ—raculous working that he subdues Crownes to a Crosse ouercomes 〈…〉 pouertie ouerthrowes the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Folishnesse of the Spirit and sets knees a 〈…〉 in a Manger YOu see their Accesse and the Euent or Successe which poynts determine their Direction Let vs come to their Deuotion Herein wee shall find a triplicitie to follow the method of Augustines Glosse Adorant corporibus vencrantur officijs honorant muneribus Christ had bestowed on these Magi three sorts of giftes Goods Corporall Spirituall Temporall And all these in a deuout thankefulnesse they returne to Christ. In Falling downe they did honour him with the Goods of the body In Worshipping him with the gifts of the Minde In Presenting to him guiftes Gold Frankincense Mirrhe with the goods of the World The Body and Minde I will knit togeather They fell downe and worshipped him It is fitte they should be partners in repentance that haue been confederates in sinne It is questioned whether in transgressing the body or the soule be most culpable I am sure either is guiltie It is all one a man that wants Eyes carries a man that wants Feete the lame that cannot goe spies a Bootie and tels his blind Porter of it that cannot see Hee that hath Eyes directes the way hee that hath Feet trauels to it but they both consent to steale it The Bodie without the Soule wants Eyes the Soule without the Body wants
as voluptuous as Esau. Men haue talem dentem qualem mentem Such an Appetite as they haue Affection And Esau may be as great a Glutton in his Pottage as those greedy Dogges Esay 56. that fill themselues wâ—th strong Wines or those fatte Bulles Am 6. that eate the Lambes and Calues out of the Stall Thus the poore may sinne as much in their Throate as the rich and be Epicures tam Latè though not tam lautè in as immoderate though not so daintie Fare Indeede Labour in many bodies requires a more plentifull repast then ease and the sedentarie Gentleman needes not so much Meate as his drudging Hind But in both this Rule should be obserued Quantum naturae sufficiat non quantum gulae placeat Not what will please the Throate but what will content Nature to eate what a man should not what hee would The Poore man that loues delicate Cheare shall not bee Wealthy and the Rich man that loues it shall not be Healthy As cunning as Esau was heere is one instance of his folly An intemperate Appetite 2. His Folly may be argued from his base estimation of the Birthright that he would so lightly part from it and on so easie conditions as Pottage It seemes hee did measure it onely by the pleasures and commodities of this life which were affoorded him by it ver 32. I am ready to die and what profite shall this Birthright doe mâ—e Which words import a limitation of it to this present World as if it could doe him no good afterwards Whereupon the Hebrews gather that he denyed the Resurrection For this cause the Apostle brands him with the marke of Prophanesse Heb. 12. that he changed a Spirituall Blessing for a Temporall Pleasure And what O yee Esauites Worldlings are momentany Delights compared to Eternall What is a messe of Gruell to the Supper of Glory The Belly is pleased the Soule is lost Neuer was any Meate except the forbidden Fruite so dearely bought as this Broth of Iacob A Curse followed both their feedings There is no Temporall thing without the trouble though it be farre more worthy then the Lentile-Pottage Hath a man good things hee feares to forgoe them and when hee must could either wish they had not been so good or a longer possession Hath he euill they bring griefe and hee either wisheth them good or to be rid of them So that good things trouble vs with feare euill with sorrow Those in the future these in the present Those because they shall end these because they doe not end Nothing then can make a man truly-happy but Eternitie Pleasures may last a while in this world but they wil grow old with vs if they doe not die before vs. And the Staffe of Age is no Pole of eternitie Hee then hath too much of the sensuall and Prophane blood of Esau in him that will sell euerlasting Birthrights and Comforts for transient Pleasures 3. Another Argument of his folly was Ingratitude to God who had in mercie vouchsafed him though but by a few minutes the priuiledge of Primogeniture Wherewith Diuines hold that the Priesthood was also conueyed The Father of the Family exercised it during his life and after his decease the first borne succeeded in that with the Inheritance And could Esau be ingratefull to a God so gracious Or could he possibly haue aspired to a higher dignitie Wretched Vnthankfulnesse how iustly art thou branded for a Prodegie in Nature There are too many that in a sullen neglect ouerlooke all Gods fauours for the want of one of their Affections long after Non tam agunt gratias de Tribunatu quam queruntur quod non sunt euecti in Consulatum It is nothing with them to be of the Court except they be also of the Councell 4. His Obstinacie taxeth his Follie that after cold blood leasure to thinke of the Treasure he sold and digestion of his Pottage hee repented not of his Rashnes But ver 34. Hee did eate and drinke and rose vp and went his way Filled his Belly rose vp to his former Customes and went his way without a Quid faeci Therefore it is added Hee despised his Birthright Hee followed his Pleasures without any interception of Sorrow or interruption of Conscience His whole life was a circle of sinfull Customes and not his Birthrights losse can put him out of them A circular thing implies a perpetuitie of motion according to Mathematicians It begins from all parts alike et in seipso definit endes absolutely in it selfe without any poynt or scope obiectuall to moue to Earth was Esaus home hee lookes after no other felicitie therefore goes his way with lesse thought of an heauenly Birthright then if hee had missed the Deare hee hunted It is wicked to sell Heauenly things at a great rate of Worldly but it is most wretched to vilipend them 5. Lastly his Perfidious nature appeareth that though hee had made an absolute Conueâ—ance of his Birthright to Iacob and sealed the Deed with an Oath yet hee seemed to make but aiest of it and purposed in his heart not to performe it Therefore chap. 27. 41. 〈◊〉 said in his heart the dayes of mourning for my Father are â—t hand then will I sâ—ay my brâ—ther Iacob Hee tarryed but 〈◊〉 the Funerall of his Father and then resolued to sende his Brother after him as Cain did Abel because hee was more accepted It is hard to iudge whether he was a worse Sonne or a Brother Hee hopes for his Fathers death and purposeth his Brothers and vowes to shed bloud in stead of Teares Perhappes from his example those desperate Wretches of England drew their instuction They had sold their Birthright and the Blessing which Iesus Christ like old Isac dying bequeathed in his Will to all beleeuers and all the interest in the truth of the Gospell to the Pope for a few Pottage red Pottage dyed in their owne blood for seeking to colour it with the blood of Gods Annoynted and of his Saints And now in a malicious rancour seeing the Children of Truth to enioy as much outward peace as they were conscious of an inward vexation they expected but Diem Luctus the dayes of Mourning when God should translate our late Queene of eternally-blessed memorie from a Kingdome on Earth to a better in Heauen and then hoped like Busterds in a Fallow field to rayse vp their heauy Fortunes â—'â— turbinis by a Whirlewind of Commotion But our Pacator Orbis which was the reall attribute of Constantine beguiled their enuious Hopes And as Patâ—rculus said of the Romane Empire after Augustus death when there was such hope of Enemies feare of Friends expectation of trouble in all Tanta suit vnius viri Maiestas vt nec bonis neque contra malos opus foret armis Such was the maiestie of one man that his very presence tooke away all vse of Armes Our royall Iacob precluded all Stratagems preuented all the Plots of these malicious
Tents intend not a long dwelling in a place They are mouables euer ready to be transferred at the occasion and will of the Inhabiter Hebr. 11. Abraham dwelt intents with Isaac and Iacob the heires with him of the same Promise The reason is added For hee looked for a Citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is GOD. These Saints studied not to enlarge their barnes as the rich Cosmopolite Luke 12. or to sing Requiems to their soules in the hoped perpetuity of earthly habitations Soule liue thou hast enough laid vp for many yeares Foole he had not enough for that night They had no thought that their houses should continue for euer and their dwelling places to all generations thereuppon calling their lands after their owne names God conuinceth the foolish security of the Iewes to whom hee had promised by the Messias to be purchased an euerlasting royalty in heauen by the Rechabites who built no houses but dwelt in Tents as if they were strangers ready on a short waâ—ning for remouall The Church esteemes Heauen her home this world but a Tent. A Tent which we must all leaue build we as high as Babel as strong as Babilon When wee haue fortified combined feasted death comes with a Voyder and takes away all Dost thou thinke to raigne securely because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Friends must part Ionas and his gourd Nebuchadnezzar and his pallace the couetous churle and his barns Arise and depart for this is not your rest Though you depart with griefe from Orchards full of fruits grounds full stocked houses dightly furnished purses richly stuffed from musicke wine iunkets sports yet goe you must goe euery man to his owne home Hee that hath seene heauen with the eye of Fath through the glasse of the Scripture slippes off his coate with Ioseph and springs away They that liued thrice our age yet dwelt in Tents as Pilgrims that did not owne this world The shortnesse and weakenesse of our dayes strengthens our reasons to vilipend it The world is the field thy body the Tent heauen thy free-holde The world is full of troubles windes of persecutions storms of menaces cold of vncharitablenesse heate of malice exhalations of prodigious terrours will annoy thee Loue it not Who can affect his owne vexations It is thy through-fare God loues thee better then to let it be thy home Euery misery on earth should turne our loues to heauen God giues this world bitter teats that wee might not sucke too long on it Satan as some doe with rotten nutmegs guildes it ouer and sends it his friends for a token But when they put that spice into their broth it infects their hearts Set thy affections on heauen where thou shalt abide for euer This life is a Tent that a Mansion In my Fathers house there are many mansions This casuall that firme a kingdome that cannot be shaken This troublesome that full of rest This assuredly short that eternall Happy is he that heere esteemes himselfe a Pilgrim in a Tent that hee may bee heereafter a citisen in a stable kingdome 2. Their frugallitie should not passe vnregarded Heere is no ambition of great buildings a Tent will serue How differ our dayes and hearts from those The fashion is now to build great houses to our lands till wee leaue no lands to our houses and the credite of a good house is made not to consist in inward hospitality but in outward walls These punkish out-sides beguile the needy Traueller hee thinkes there cannot be so many roomes in a house and neuer a one to harbour a poore stranger or that from such a multitude of chimneis no meate should be sent to the gates Such a house is like a painted whoore it hath a faire cheek but rotten lungs no breath of charity comes out of it We say frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora What needes a house more roomes then there is vse for A lesse house and more hospitablenesse would doe a great deale better Are not many of these glorious buildings set vp in the curse of Iericho the foundation laid in the blood of the eldest the poore the walls reared in the blood of the yoongest the ruine of their owne posterity This was one of the Trauellers obserued faults in England camini mali that we had ill clockes and worse chimneis for they smoaked no charity We see the Precedent the application must teach vs to Deale plainely Here is commended to vs Plainesse in Meaning Demeaning Which instructs vs to a double concord and agreement In Meaning betwixt the heart and the tongue In Demeaning betwixt the tongue and the hand In Meaning THere should be a louing and friendly agreement betweene the heart and the tongue This is the minds herald and should onely proclaime the senders message If the tongue be an ill seruant to the heart the heart will be an ill maister to the tongue and Satan to both There are three kindes of dissimulation held tolerable if not commendable and beyond them noâ—e without sinne 1. When a man dissembles to get himselfe out of danger without any preiudice to another So Dauid fained himselfe madde to escape with life So the good Physician may deceiue his patient by stealing vppon him a potion which he abhorreth intending his recouerie 2. When dissimulation is directly aymed to the instruction and benefite of another So Ioseph caused the money to bee put in his brethrens sackes thereby to worke in them a knowledge of themselues So Christ going to Emaus with the two Disciples made as if he would goe further to try their humanity 3. When some common seruice is thereby performed to the good of the Church Such are those stratagems and policies of warre that carry in them a direct intention of honesty and iustice though of hostillity as Iosuah's whereby he discomfited the men of Ai. Further then these limits no true Israelite no Plaine-Dealing man must venture Plato was of opinion that it was lawfull for Magistrates Hosium vel Ciuium causa mentiri to lie eyther to deceiue an enemy or saue a citisen I might against Plato set Aristotle who sayth expresly that a lie in it selfe is euill and wicked And another Philosopher was wont to say That in two things a man was like vnto God in bestowing benefites and telling the truth Nor will we inferre with Lyranus because there is a Title in the Ciuill Law De dolo malo of euill craft that therefore it is graunted there is a craft not euill But let vs know to the terrour of lyers that the deuill is the father of lying and when hee speaketh a lie hee speaketh of his owne And beyond exception they are the words of euerlasting veritie No lie is of the truth Therefore into that heauenly Hierusalem shall enter none that workes abhomination or maketh a lie A lie must needes be contrary
Lambes alone they doe you much good no hurt And to this chase vse all your skill in this worke it shall be your commendation to be cunniug Hunters The Lord shall emparke you within the Pale of his owne mercifull Prouidence and restraine the sauage furie of your Enemies Let those whom God hath made Maisters of this serious game and giuen Commission to hunt vicious persons Let euery particular man hunt Vice out of his owne heart If there be any violence to get the Kingdome of Heauen vse it if any policie to ouerthrow Satan and his complices against whom we wrastle exercise it This Warre shall be your Peace You shall helpe to purge the Land of noxius Beastes and clense your owne hearts from those lustes which if you hunt not to death shall hunt you to death as the morall of Acteon And God that giues you this commaund and courage shall adde for it a mercifull recompence taking you at last from this militant Chace to the Parke of his triumphant Rest. Amen FINIS CHRIST HIS STARRE OR The Wise-mens Oblation Matth. 2. II. When they were come into the house they saw the young Child with Mary his mother and fell downe and worshipped him and when they had opened their Treasures they presented vnto him gifts Gold and Frankincense and Myrrhe THE Feast of the Epiphanie or manifestation of Christ as it is this dayes momorie so I haue purposed this dayes exercise As Relatu traditionis instruimur There were three principal and notable Appearings of Christ on this Day All which Eodem die contigisse feruntur sed alijs at que alijs annis fell out the same day in diuers yeares as they write So Maximus Episc. Tribus miraculis ornatum diem sanctum seruamus c. wee keepe this Day Holy and Feastiuall being honoured with three Wonders This Day Christ led the Wise-men to himselfe by a Starre This Day hee turned the Waters into Wine at the Marriage This Day hee was Baptized of Iohn in Iordan According to these three distinct Manifestations of himselfe they haue giuen this Day three seuerall names 1. Epiphania Because Christ did appeare to certaine Mâ—gi by the direction of a Starre and was by their report made knowne to the Foxe Herod and his Cubbes many enemies in Ierusalem ver 3. Hee was troubled and all Ierusalem with him 2. Theophania Because there was a Declaration of the whole Trinitie Math. 3. Of God the Father whose voyce was heard from Heauen Of GOD the Sonne to be Baptised of whom was the testimonie giuen This is my beloued Sonns in whom I am well pleased Of GOD the holy Ghost who descending like a Doue lighted on him 3. Bethphania Because Ioh. 2. he shewed the power of his Deitie at the Wedding in changing their Water into Wine So the Text ver 11. This beginning of Miracles did Iesus in Canâ— of Galâ—le and manifested his glory 4. Some haue added a fourth name from a fourth Wonder that they say was wrought on this Day Phagiâ—phania Because Christ relieued Famem triduanam the three dayes hunger of fiue thousand with fiue Barley Loaues and two litle Fishes I confesse this Historie hath many obseruable poynts in it It entreates of Wise-men of a tyrannicall King of troubled People and of the King of Kings lying in swadling clothes To discourse all these Virtutesque virosque et tanti incendia bellâ— would exceed the limites of one cold houre I would therefore confine my short speach and your attention to the verse read Wherein mee thinkes I finde a miraculous Wonder That extraordinary Men by an extraordinary Starre should finde the King of Heauen in so extraordinary a place Wise-men seeking a Starre shewing a Sauiour lying in a Manger But cernere oculis docenter oraculis the eye of Flesh sees somewhat the eye of Fayth shall see more I may distinguish all into a Direction Deuotion The Direction of God the Deuotion of Men. By the Direction they are brought to the Messias By their Deuotion they Worship him and present him Giftes Gold Frankincense and Myrrh For the Direction wee will borrow a litle of the Premisses and therein consider Gods Leading Their Following Gods Leading was by a Starre They that delight to cast Cloudes vpon the cleare Sunne haue heere mooted many Questions about this Starre 1. Whether this Starre were singular or an heape of Starres Our Romane aduersaries to bring wilfull trouble on themselues and vs haue coniur'd a fiction from one Albumazar a Heathen that the Signe in the Zodiacke call'd the Virgin is composed of so many Starres as may aptly pourtray Virginem gestantem inter brachia filium a Virgin bearing an Infant in her armes And some of them haue thought that this Starre Let Albumazar be the father of this opinion and for a litle better authoritie they haue motherd it on a Prophecie of Tiburtine Sibylla when Augustus boasted his super-humane Maiestie Sibylla shewed him Virginem in coelo Infanti portam a Virgin in Heauen bearing a young Child in her armes with these wordes Hic Puer maior te est ipsum adora Yonder Infant is greater then thou art O Cesar worship him But because the Father of this toy was an Ethnicke and the Mother thought a Sorceresse they haue as somethinke spight of his teeth brought in Chrysostome for a God-father to it or to an opinion if differing from it yet also exceeding the truth of this Historie Whether of himselfe or on their teaching he sayes thus This Starre appeared to them descending vpon that victoriall Mountaine hauing in it the forme of a little Child and aboue him the similitude of a Crosse. But I confesse and loe the great vaunts of their vnitie that many of them are of another minde Howsoeuer the Text is plaine against it ver 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vidimus Stellam eius Aster and astrum differ as Stella and Sydus Aster and Stella signifie one Starre Astrum and Sydus a knot of Starres as any Signe in the Heauen coacted and compounded of many Starres The Euangelist heere vseth the singular and indiuiduall word Wee haue seene his Starre not Starres 2. They question whether this was a new Starre created for the purpose or one of those co-euall to the World Chrysostome Damaseen Fulgentius with most others are perswaded it was a new Starre Houdemius an English man so sung of it Nouâ caelum Stellâ depingitur Dum Sol nouus in terris oritur T' was fitte a new Starre should adorne the Skies When a new Sunne doth on the Earth arise It is called by Augustine Magnifica Lingua coeli The glorious Tongue of Heauen It appeares this was no ordinary Starre ex situ Motu Tempore Lucendi 1. By the Site The place of it must be In aere terrae vicino non ipsius meditullio in that part or Region of the Aire that was next to the Earth otherwise it could not so
as may procure him a place in the celestiall habitations Grudge not him a portion of thy temporall wealth that is able to minister euerlasting comfort to thy conscience Thou art no looser if thou mayest exchange earth for heauen For the Blessing WHat hath secure Esau lost if hauing solde the Birthright he may reserue the Blessing Behold of this hee assureth himselfe his Father hath sent him for venison that his soule might blesse him To hunting hee is gone in haste meaning to recouer that againe by his owne venison which hee had lost by his brothers pottage Isaac being now blinde in his eyes but yet blinder in his affections forgetting what decree and sentence God had formerly passed of his two sonnes for some temporall regard doth fauour Esaeu and intends to bequeath vnto him that spirituall and happy legacie of the Blessing God had said that the elder shall serue the younger yet forgetfull Isaac purposeth to blesse his first borne Esau. How easie is it euen for a Saint to be transported with naturall affections hee could not but remember that himselfe though the yoonger was preferred to his elder brother Ishmael hee knew that Gods commaund preuailed with his Father Abraham aboue nature when hee bound him for a sacrifice he saw Esau lewdly matched with the daughters of Heathens yet hee will now thinke on nothing but Esau is my first borne and if it bee possible hee will poure the benediction vpon a wrong head But God is often better to vs then wee would and with his preuenting grace stoppes the precipitation of erring nature So sweete is the ordination of the Diuine prouidence that we shall not doe what we would but what wee ought and by deceiuing vs turnes our purposed euill into euentuall good We are made to do that good which wee not intended God hath ordained the superioritie to the yonger hee will therefore contriue for him the Blessing Whatsoeuer Isaac affected this God will haue effected To bring the Lords will to passe there neuer wanted meanes Sinnefull man may haue his hand in this the iust deâ—ree of God stands vntouched He determined the death of his Sonne without fauour to their guilt that murderd him The affections of Parents are heere diuided Isaac loues Esau and Rebeca Iacob this difference shall make way to the fulfilling of the Promise Neyther parent neglected eyther sonne but Rebeccah remembred the Lords purpose better then Isaac Neyther is it enough what Ambrose heereon saith Mater affectum pater iudicium indicat mater circa minorem tenera pictate propendit pater circa seniorem naturae honorificentiam seruat The mother shewes affection the father iudgement shee tenderly loues the yonger hee giues the honour of nature to the elder Nay rather the mother shewes iudgement and the father affection For what was Iacob to Rebecca more then Esau or why should shee not rather loue her first borne It is God that inclines the mothers loue to the yoonger against nature because the father affects the elder against the promise Heereupon shee will rather deceiue her owne husband then he shall deceiue his owne chosen sonne of the decreed blessing The wife will be subtle when the husband is partiall her honest fraud shall answere his forgetfull indulgence Isaac would turne Esau into Iacob Rebecca doth turne Iacob into Esau. The discourse or contemplation of the prouident mother and her happy sonnes passages in this action I finde set downe by so diuine and accurate a pen that despairing of any tolerable imitation I shall without distaste to the Reader or imputation to my selfe deliuer it in his owne expresse words Rebecca presuming vpon the Oracle of God and her husbands simplicity dares be Iacobs suretie for the danger his counseller for the carriage of the businesse his cooke for the dyet yea dresses both the meate and the man And now puts dishes into his hand words into his mouth the garments on his backe the goates haire vppon the open parts of his body and sends him in thus furnished for the blessing Standing no doubt at the doore to see how well her lesson was learned how well her deuice succeeded And if olde Isaac should by any of his senses haue discerned the guile shee had soone stept in and vndertaken the blame and vrged him with that knowne will of God concerning Iacobs dominion and Esaus seruitude which either age or affection had made him forget And now she wisheth that shee could borrow Esaus tongue as well as his garments that she might securely deceiue all the senses of him which had suffered himselfe more dangerously deceiued with his affection But this is past her remedy her son must name himselfe Esau with the voyce of Iacob We see the proceeding it is now examinable whether this doth not somewhat impeach the credite of Iacobs Plaine-Dealing There haue beene vndertakers of Iacobs iustification or at least excusation in this fact Let vs heare what they say 1. Gregorie thus excuseth it that Iahob did not steale the Blessing by fraud but sibi debitam accepit tooke it as a due to himselfe in respect that the primogeniture was formerly deuolued to him The truth is he that ought the Birthright might iustly chalenge the Blessing but this doth not wholly excuse the fact 2. Chrysostome thus mitigates it that non studio nocendi contexit fraudem hee did not deceiue with a minde to hurt but onely in respect of the promise of God But this is not sufficient for there was an intention of hurt both to Isaac in deceiuing him and to Esau in depriuing him of the Blessing But whatsoeuer may bee pleaded for the defence of Iacobs dissimulation in outward gesture there is no apologie for the words of his tongue The meaning of the speach is in the speaker therefore his tongue cannot be guiltlesse when it goes against his conscious heart but the meaning of the gesture is in the interpreter who giues it a voluntary construction Gesture is more easily ruled then speach and it is hard if the tongue will not blabbe what a man is in spite of his habite Isaacs eyes might be deceiued they were dimme his hands by the roughnesse of the garments his nosthrills by the smell of them his palate by the sauour of the meat All these senses yeeld affiance what then shall driue Isaac to a suspition or incredulitie None but this the eare stickes at the iudgement that sayes the voyce is the voyce of Iacob To helpe forward this deceit three lies are tumbled out one in the necke of another 1. I am Esau thy first borne 2. I haue done as thou badst me 3. eate of my venison To cleare him of this sinne of lying hath beene more peremptorily vndertaken then soundly performed 1. Chrysostome with diuers others thinke that thogh he did lie hee did not sinne because hee did it by the reuelation and counsell of God So that God willing to haue the prediction fulfilled dispensing
strangers To this Hope wee open the dores of the kingdome of Heauen and so farre as the Commission of the Keyes Ieades vs wee vnlocke the gates of eternall life and allow entrance Wee call this the Blessed Hope Charitie IS an excellent vertue and therefore rare if euer in this contentious age wherein Fratrum quoque gratia rara est the vnfained loue of brothers is strange Wo is mee before I am come to define what loue is I am falne into a declamation against the want of it what is heere chiefly commended is chiefly contemned as if wee had no need of mutuall succour nor could spare a roome in our hearts to entertaine Charitie lest wee should expell our old loued guests fraud malice and ambition Loue hath two proper obiects the one immediate and principall the other mediate and limitted The proper and immediate obiect of our Loue is God This is the great Commandement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy strength As if hee would not leaue out the â—east sinew or string of the heart the least faculty or power of the soule the least organ or action of the strength So Bern. With all the heart that is affectionately With all the Soule that is wisely With all the strength that is constantly Let the zeale of thy heart inflame thy loue to God let the wisedome of thy soule guide it let the strength of thy might confirm it All the affection of the heart all the election of the soule all the administration of the body The Soule iudgeth the Will prosecutes the strength executes God can brooke no riualles no diuision betwixt him and Mammon betwixt him and Melchom betwixt him and Baal betwixt him and Belial Causa diligeâ—di Deum Deus est modus sine modo The cause and motiue to loue God is God the manner is without measure Minus amatte qui aliquid amat praeterte quod non amat propter te Hee poorely loues God that loues any thing besides him which hee doth not loue for him The subordinate obiect of loue is man and his loue is the effect of the former cause and an actuall demonstration of the other inward affection Waters comming from the sea boyle through the veines of the earth till they become springs and those springs riuers and those riuers runne backe to the sea againe All mans loue must be carried in the streame of Gods loue Blessed is hee that loues Amicum in Domino inimicum pro Domino his friend in the Lord his enemy for the Lord. Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man but this that yee loue one another Other debts once truely payde are no more due but this debt the more we pay it the more wee owe it and wee still doe acknowledge our selues debters to all when wee are cleare with all proverbially I owe him nothing but loue The communication of this riches doth not impouerish the proprietary the more hee spends of his stocke the more hee hath There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth But hee that will hoord the treasure of his Charity shall grow poore empty and bankerout There is that withholdeth more then is meet but it tendeth vnto pouerty Loue is the abridgement of the Law the new precept of the Gospell Luther cals it the shortest and the longest Diuinitie short for the forme of words long yea euerlasting for the vse and practise for Charity shal neuer cease Thus for the first degree of compariion Positiuely The second is Comparatiue where though it be sayd Vertues and great men must not bee compared yet we may without offence bring them to a holy conference els how shall wee perceyue the Apostles intended scope the transcendency of Charity I will therefore first conferre Faith with Hope and then with them both Charity The distinction betweene Faith and Hope is nice and must warily bee discouered I will reduce the differences into three respects of Order Office and Obiect For Order Paul giues Faith the precedencie Hebr. 11. Faith is the ground of things hoped for Faith alwayes goes before Hope followes after and may in some sort bee sayde to bee the daughter of Faith For it is as impossible for a man to Hope for that which hee beleeues not as for a Painter to drawe a picture in the ayre Indeed more is beleeued then is hoped for but nothing is hoped for which is not beleeued So that on necessity in respect of order Faith must precede Hope For Office Faith is the Christians Logicke Hope his Rhetorike Faith perceiues what is to bee done Hope giues alacritie to the doing it Faith guides adviseth rectifieth Hope couragiously encounters with all adversaries Therefore Faith is compared to a Doctor in the Schooles Hope to a Captaine in the warres Faith discernes the truth Hope fights against impatience heauinesse of Spirit infirmitie deiectednesse desperation Divines haue alluded the difference betweene Faith and Hope in Divinity to that betweene wisedome and valour in Philosophie Valour without wisedome is rashnesse wisedome without valour is cowardice Faith without Hope is knowledge without valour to resist Sathan Hope without Faith is rash presumption and an vndiscreet daring You see their different Office For Obiect Faithes object is the absolute word and infallible promise of God Hopes obiect is the thing promised Fides intuetur verbum rei Spes verò rem verbi Faith lookes to the word of the thing Hope to the thing of the word So that Faith hath for the obiect the Truth of God Hope the Goodnâ—sse of God Faith is of things both good and bad Hope of good things onely A man beleeues there is a hell as truely as he beleeues there is a heaven but he feares the one and hopes onely for the other Faith hath obiected to it things past present future Past it beleeues Christ dead for our sinnes and risen againe for our Iustification Present that hee now sits at the right hand of his Father in heauen Future that hee shall come to iudge quicke and dead Hope onely respects and expects things to come For a man cannot hope for that which hee hath You see how in some sense Hope excels Faith For there is a faith in the Deuils they beleeue the truth of God the certainety of the Scriptures they acknowledge Christ the Iudge of quicke and dead therefore cry Why tormentest thou vs before the time They haue faith ioyned with a Popish preparatory good worke Feare the Deuils beleeue and tremble yea they pray they beseech Christ not to send them into the deepes what then want they Hope a confident expectation of the mercy of God this they can neuer haue They beleeue they cannot hope This is the life of Christians and the want makes Devils If it were not for this hope wee of all men were most miserable Charity differs from them both These three divine graces are a created Trinity and haue some glimmering
the perpetuity Thus to iustifie a man Faith is greater but in a man iustified Charity is greater Let Faith alone with the great worke of our salvation but that finished it shall end so yeeld superiority to Loue which shall endure for euer Thus you haue commended to your soules these three sisters Faith Hope and Charity Faith wee must haue or we are reprobates Hope or wretches Charity or not Christians There is a promise made to Faith that it shall haue accesse to God Heb. 11. To Hope that it shall not be ashamed Rom. 5. But to Charity that it shall dwell in God and haue God dwelling in it 1. Ioh. 4. I should now tell you that as these three fayre Sisters come downe from heaven so in a crosse contrariety the Devill sends vp three foule fiends from hell Against Faith Infidelity against Hope Desperation Against Charity malice He that entertaines the elder sister vnbeleefe I quake to speake his doome yet I must Hee is already condemned Hee that embraceth the second vgly Hagge Despaire barres vp against himselfe the possibility of all comfort because hee offends so precious a nature the mercy of God tramples vnder his desperate feete that bloud which is helde out to his vnaccepting hand He that welcomes malice welcomes the Devill himselfe hee is called the Envious and loues extremely to lodge himselfe in an envious heart These be fearefull prodigious sisters flie them and their embraces and remember O yee whom Christ concernes the commandement of your Saviour Loue one another I will end with our Apostles exhortation to his Philippians If there bee any consolation in Christ and there is consolation in him when the whole world cannot afford it If any comfort of loue and hee that knows not the comforts of loue knowes no difference betwixt man and beast If any fellowship of the spirit by whome wee are all knit into one Communion and enriched with the same treasures of grace If any bowels and mercies if vncharitablenesse and avarice hath turned our intrals into stone and yron if wee haue not forgotten the vse and need of mercy Fulfill my ioy that yee be like minded and haue the same loue Fulfill the Apostles ioy onely the ioy of the Bride and Bridegroome of the Church on earth of the Saints in heauen of the ioy of the blessed Angels the ioy of the Father Sonne holy Spirit and last of all the ioy of your owne hearts that you Loue one another Forget not that trite but true saying They shall not want prosperitie That keepe Faith Hope and Charity FINIS THE TAMING OF THE TONGVE MATH 12. 37. By thy wordes thou shalt bee iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned BERN. Lingua quae facilè volat facilè violat TP LONDON Printed by Thomas Purfoot for Clement Knight and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Holy Lambe 1616. THE TAMING OF the Tongue IAM 3. 8. But the tongue can no man tame it is an vnruly euill full of deadly poyson HEre is a single Position guarded with a double reason The Position is No man can tame the Tongue The Reasons 1. It is vnruly 2. Full of deadly poyson Heere is busie dealing with a wilde member a more difficult action and intractable nature could not haue met Tongue is the Subiect I meane in the discourse and can you euer thinke of subiecting it naturally to reason or taming it to Religion Goe leade a Lyon in a single haire send vp an Eagle to the skie to pecke out a starre cope vp the thunder and quench a flaming City with one widdowes teares if thou couldest doe these yet nescit modo lingua domari the Tongue can no man tame As the Proposition is backed with two reasons so each reasons so each reason hath a terrible second The Euill hath for the second vnrulines the Poisonfulnes hath deadly It is evil yea vnruly euill it is poyson yea deadly poyson The Fort is so barricadoed that it is hard scaling it the refractary Rebell so guarded with Euill and Poyson so warded with vnruly and deadly as if it were with Gyants in an vnchanted Towre as they fabulate that no man can tame it Yet let vs examine the matter and finde a stratagem to subdue it In the Proposition Wee will obserue 1. The Nature of the thing to bee tamed 2. The difficulty of accomplishing it The insubiectible subiect is the Tongue which is 1. a member and 2. an Excellent Necessary Little Singular Member It is a Member Hee that made all made the Tongue he that craues all must haue the Tongue Quicreavit necessariam postulat creatam It is an instrument let it giue Musicke to him that made it All creatures in their kind blesse God Psal. 148. They that wanttongues as the heauens Sunne Starres Meteors Orbes Elements prayse him with such obedient Testimonies as their insensible natures can afford They that haue tongues though they want reason prayse him with those naturall Organs The birds of the ayre sing the beasts of the earth make a noyse not so much as the hissing Serpents the very Dragons in the deepe but sound out his praise Man then that hath a tongue and a reason to guide it and if more a religion to direct his reason should much much more blesse him Therefore sayes the Psalmographer that for the well tuning of his Tongue is called the sweete Singer of Israel I will praise the Lord with the best Instrument I haue which was his Tongue Not that praises can adde to Gods glory nor blasphemies detract from it The blessing Tongue cannot make him better nor the cursing worse Nec melior si laudaueris nec deterior si vituperaueris As the Sunne is neither betterd by birds singing nor battered by dogs barking He is so infinitely great and constantly good that his glory admittes neyther addition nor diminution Yet we that cannot make his name greater can make it seeme greater and though wee can not enlarge his glory we may enlarge the manifestation of his glory This both in words praysing and in workes practising We know it is impossible to make a new Christ as the Papists boast the almightinesse of their Priests yet our holy liues and happy lippes if I may so speak may make a little Christ a great Christ. They that before little regarded him may thus be brought to esteeme him greatly giuing him the honour due to his name and glorifying him after our example This is the Tongues office One member without arrogating any merite or boasting the beholdingnesse of the rest vnto it is to doe that duetie which is assigned it The eye is to see for all the eare to heare for all the hand to worke for all the feete to walke for all the knees to bow for all the Tongue to praise GOD for all This is the Tongues office not vnlike the Towneclarkes which if it
performe not well the Corporation is better without it The Tongue is mans clapper and is giuen him that hee may sound out the praise of his maker Infinite causes draw deseruingly from mans lippes a deuout acknowledgement of Gods praise Quia Creator ad esse Conseruator in esse Recreator in bene esse Glorificator in optimo esse He gaue vs being that had none preserued vs in that being restored vs voluntarily fallen vnto a better being and will glorifie vs with the best at the day of the Lord Iesus Then let the Tongue know Si non reddet Deo faciendo quae debet reddet ei patiendo quae debet If it will not pay God the debt it owes him in an actiue thankefulnes it shall pay him in a passiue painefulnes Let the meditation heere of put our tongues into tune A word fitly spoken is like Apples of golde in pictures of siluer It is a member you heare we must take it with all the properties Excellent Necessary Little Singular 1. Excellent Abstractiuely and simply vnderstood it is an exceeding excellent member both Quoad Maiestatem Incunditatem For the Maiestie of it it carries an imperious speech wherein it hath the preeminence of all mortal creatures It was mans Tongue to which the Lord gaue licence to call all the liuing creatures and to giue them names And it is a strong motiue to induce and to beget in other terrene natures a reuerence and admiration of man Therefore it is obserued that God did punish the ingratitude of Balaam when hee gaue away some of the dignity proper to man which is vse of speech and imparted it to the Asse man alone speakes I know that spirites can frame an aeriall voyce as the Diâ—ell when he spake in the Serpent that fatall temptation as in a Truncke but man onely hath the habituall facultie of speaking For the Pleasantnesse of the tongue the generall consent of all giues it the truest Melos and restraines all musicall organs from the worth and praise of it Eccles 40. The pipe and the Psalterie make sweete melodie but a pleasant tongue is aboue them both No instruments are so rauishing or preuaile ouer mans heart with so powerfull complacencie as the Tongue and voyce of man If the Tongue be so excellent how then doth this Text censure it for so euill I take the Philosophers old and trite answere Linguanihil est vel bona melius vel mala peius Then a good Tongue there is nothing better then an euill nothing worse Nihil habet medium aut grande bonum est aut grande malum It hath no meane it is eyther exceedingly good or excessiuely euill It knowes nothing but extreames and is or good best of all or bad worst of all If it be good it is a walking garden that scatters in euery place a sweet flower an hearb of grace to the hearers If it be euill it is a wilde Bedlam full of gadding and madding mischiefes So the Tongue is euery mans best or worst moueable Heereupon that Philosophicall seruant when hee was commanded to prouide the best meate for his Masters table the worst for the family bought brought to either neates tongues His Morall was that this was both the best and worst seruice according to the goodnesse or badnesse of the Tongue A good Tongue is a speciall dish for Gods publike seruice Parsoptima hominis digna quae sit hostia The best part of a man and most worthy the honour of sacrifice This onely when it is well seasoned Seasoned I say with salt as the Apostle admonisheth not with fire Let it not be so salt as fire as that Prouerbe which no man liuing hath tasted There is a Citie of salt mentioned Ioshua 15. Let no man be an Inhabitant of this salt-citie Yet better a salt-tongue then an oily Rather let the righteous reprooue mee then the precious balmes of flatterers breake my head whilst they most sensibly sooth and supple it We allow the Tongue salt not pepper let it be well seasoned but not too hote Thus a good Tongue is GODS dish and he will accept it at his owne table But an euill Tongue is meate for the Diuell according to the Italian Prouerbe The Diuell makes his Christmasse pie of lewd Tongues It is his daintiest dish and he makes much of it whether on earth to serue his turne as an instrument of mischiefe or in hell to answere his fury in torments Thus saith Salomon of the good Tongue The tongue of the iust is as choice siluer and the lippes of the righteous feede many But Saint Iames of the bad one It is an vnruly euill full of deadly poison 2. It is Necessary so necessary that without a tongue I could not declare the necessitie of it It conuerseth with man conueying to others by this organ that experimentall knowledge which must else liue and die in himselfe It imparts secrets communicates ioyes which would be lesse happy suppressed then they are expressed mirth without a partner is hilaris cum pondere foelicitas But to disburden griefes and powre foorth sorrowes in the bosome of a friend O necessary tongue How many hearts would haue burst if thou hadst not giuen them vent How many soules fallen groueling vnder their loade if thou hadst not called for some supportance How many a panting spirit hath sayd I will speake yet ere I die and by speaking receiued comfort Lastly it speakes our deuotions to heauen and hath the honour to conferre with God It is that Instrument which the holy Ghost vseth in vs to cry Abba Father It is our spokesman and hee that can heare the heart without a tongue regardeth the deuotions of the heart better when they are sent vp by a diligent messenger a faithfull tongue 3. It is Little As man is a little world in the great so is his tongue a great world in the little It is a little member saith the Apostle verse 5. yet it is a world verse 6. yea prauitatis vniuersitas a world of iniquitie It is parnum but prauum little in quantitie but great in iniquity What it hath lost in the thickenesse it hath got in the quickenesse and the defect of magnitude is recompenced in the fortitude an arme may bee longer but the Tongue is stronger and a legge hath more flesh then it hath besides bones which it hath not yet the tongue still runnes quicker and faster and if the wager lie for holding out without doubt the Tongue shall winne it If it be a talking tongue it is mundus garrulitatis a world of prating If it be a wrangling tongue it is mundus litigationis a world of brabbling If it be a learned tongue it is as Erasmus sayd of Bishop Tonstall mundus eruditionis a world of learning If it be a petulant tong it is mundus scurrilitatis a world of wantonnesse If it be a poysonous tongue it is mundus infectionis sayth our