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
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
legall seruices God neuer purposed to burthen any of his creatures with deuotion How vaine is the ambition of any soule that would lode it selfe with the vniuersall charge of all men How thanklesse is their labour that do wilfully ouerspend themselues in their ordinary vocations As Zachary had a course in Gods house so he carefully obserued it The fauour of these respites doubled his diligence The more high and sacred our calling is the more dangerous is our neglect It is our honor that wee may be allowed to waite vpon the God of heauen in these immediate seruices Woe be to vs if wee slacken those duties wherein God honors vs more then wee can honor him Many sonnes of Aaron yea of the same family serued at once in the Temple according to the variety of imployments To auoide all difference they agreed by lot to assigne themselues to the seuerall offices of each day The lot of this day called Zachary to offer incense in the owter Temple I do not finde any prescription they had from God of this particular manner of designement Matters of good order in holy affaires may be ruled by the wise institution of men according to reason and expediencie It fell out well that Zachary was chosen by lot to this ministration that Gods immediate hand might be seene in all the passages that concerned his great Prophet that as the person so the occasion might bee of Gods owne choosing In lots and their seeming cusuall disposition God can giue a reason though we can giue none Morning and euening twife a day their law called them to offer Incense to God that both parts of the day might be consecrate to the maker of time The owter Temple was the figure of the whole Church vpon earth like as the holy of holiest represented heauen Nothing can better resemble our faithfull prayers then sweet perfume These God lookes that we should all his Church ouer send vp vnto him morning and euening The eleuations of our hearts should be perpetuall but if twise in the day we do not present God with our solemne invocations wee make the Gospell lesse officious then the law That the resemblance of prayers and incense might be apparent whiles the Preist sends vp his incense within the Temple the people must send vp their prayers without Their breath and that incense though remote â—â—n the first rising met ere â—â—hey went vp to heauen The people might no more goe into the holy place to offer vp the incense of prayers vnto God then Zachary might go into the holy of holies Whiles the partition wall stood betwixt Iewes and Gentiles there were also partitions betwixt the Iewes and themselues Now euery man is a Preist vnto God Euery man since the vaile was rent praies within the Temple What are we the better for our greater freedome of accesse to God vnder the Gospell if wee doe not make vse of our priuiledge Whiles they were praying to God he sees an Angell of God As Gedeons Angell went vp in the smoake of the sacrifice sâ—â— did Zacharies Angell as it were come downe in the fragrant smoke of his incense It was euer great newes to see an Angell of God but now more because God had long with-drawne from them all the meanes of his supernaturall reuelations As this wicked people were strangers to their God in their conuersation so was God growne a stranger to them in his apparitions yet now that the season of the Gospell approched he visited them with his Angels before hee visited them by his sonne He sends his Angell to men in the forme of man before hee sends his sonne to take humane forme The presence of Angels is no nouelty but their apparition they are alwaies with vs but rarely seene that wee may awfully respect their messages when they are seene In the meane time our faith may see them though our senses do not their assumed shapes doe not make them more present but visible There is an order in that heauenly Hierarchy though wee know it not This Angell that appeared to Zachary was not with him in the ordinary course of his attendances but was purposely sent from God with this message Why was an Angell sent and why this Angell It had bin easie for him to haue raised vp the propheticall spirit of some Simeon to this prediction the same Holy Ghost which reuealed to that iust man that he should not see death ere he had seene the Messias might haue as easily reuealed vnto him the birth of the fore-runner of Christ and by him to Zachary But God would haue this voice which should go before his son come with a noise Hee would haue it appeare to the world that the harbinger of the Messiah should bee conceiued by the maruelous power of that God whose comming hee proclaimed It was fit the first herald of the Gospell should begin in wonder The same Angell that came to the blessed Virgin with the newes of Christs conception came to Zachary with the newes of Iohns for the honor of him that was the greatest of them which were borne of women and for his better resemblance to him which was the seede of the woman Both had the Gospell for their errand one as the messenger of it the other as the author Both are foretold by the same mouth When could it be more fit for the Angell to appeare vnto Zachary then when prayers and incense were offred by him Where could hee more fitly appeare then in the Temple In what part of the Temple more fitly then at the Altar of Incense and whereabouts rather then on the right side of the Altar Those glorious spirits as they are alwaies with vs so most in our deuotions and as in all places so most of all in Gods house They reioyce to bee with vs whiles we are with God as contrarily they turne their faces from vs when we go about our sinnes He that had wont to liue and serue in the presence of the master was now astonished at the presence of the seruant so much difference there is betwixt our faith and our senses that the apprehension of the presence of the God of spirits by faith goes downe sweetly with vs whereas the sensible apprehension of an Angell dismaies vs Holy Zachary that had wont to liue by faith thought hee should dye when his sense began to be set on worke It was the weaknes of him that serued at the Altar without horror to be daunted with the face of his fellow seruant In vaine do we looke for such ministers of God as are without infirmities when iust Zachary was troubled in his deuotions with that where with he should haue bin comforted It was partly the suddennes and partly the glory of the apparition that affrighted him The good Angell was both apprehensiue and compassionate of Zacharies weaknes and presently incourages him with a cheerfull excitation Feare not Zacharias The blessed spirts though they doe not often vocally