an Antichristian estate if God giue secret mercie what is that to her Gods superaboundant grace doth neither abate ought of her Antichristianisme nor moue you to follow him in couering and passing by the manifold enormities in our Church wherewith those good things are inseparably commingled Your owne mouth shall condemne you Doth God passe ouer our enormities and doe you sticke yea separate Doth his grace couer them and doe you display them Haue you learned to be more iust than your Maker Or if you be not aboue his iustice why are you against his mercy God hath not disclaimed vs by your owne confession you haue preuented him If Princes leasurees may not be stayed in reforming yet shall not Gods in reiecting Your ignorance enwrapped you in your errors his infinite wisedome sees them and yet his infinite mercy forbeares them so might you at once haue seene disliked stayed If you did not herein goe contrary to the courses of our common God how happy should both sides haue beene yea how should there be no sides How should we be more inseparably commingled than our good and euill But should you haue continued still in sinne that grace might haue abounded God forbid you might haue continued here without sinne saue your owne and then grace would no lesse haue abounded to you than now your sin abounds in not continuing What neede you to surfet of another mans Trencher Other sinnes need no more to infect you than your graces can sanctifie them As for your further light suspect it not of God suspect it to bee meere darknesse and if the light in you bee darknesse how great is that darknesse What so true and glorious a light of God and neuer seene till now No Worlds Times Churches Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Fathers Doctors Gen. 1.2 Esa 5.20 Woe to them that put darknesse for light Esa 59.9 Christians euer saw this truth looke forth besides you vntill you Externall light was Gods first creature and shall this spirituall light whereby all Churches should be discerned come thus late Mistrust therefore your eyes and your light and feare Esayes woe and the Iewes miserable disappointment we wait for light but loe it is darknesse for brightnesse but we walke in obscuritie SEP But the Church of England say you is our Mother and so ought not to be auoyded But say I we must not so cleaue to holy Mother Church as we neglect our Heauenly Father and his Commandements which we know in that estate we could not but transgresse and that hainously and against our consciences not onely in the want of many Christian Ordinances to which we are most straightly bound both by Gods Word and our owne necessities SECTION XVII THE Church of England is your Mother to her small comfort she hath borne you The Motherhood of the Church of England how far it obligeth vs. Deut. 21 22 23. and repented Alas you haue giuen her cause to powre out Iobs curses vpon your Birth-day by your not onely forsaking but cursing her Stand not vpon her faults which you shall neuer proue capitall Not onely the best Parent might haue brought forth a rebellious sonne to be stoned What then Doe we prefer dutie to piety and so plead for our Holy Mother Church that we neglect our Heauenly Father yea offend him See what you say it must needs be an Holy Mother that cannot be pleased without the displeasure of God A good wife that opposes such an husband a good sonne that vpbraids this vniustly Therefore is shee a Church your Mother holy Mater Ecclesia Mater est etiam Matris nostrae Aug. Epist 38. because shee bred you to God cleaues to him obeyes his commandements and commands them And so farre is shee from this desperate contradiction that shee voweth not to hold you for her sonne vnlesse you honour God as a Father It is a wilfull slander that you could not but hainously transgresse vnder her I dare take it vpon my soule that all your transgression which you should necessarily haue incurred by her obedience is nothing so hainous as your vncharitablenesse in your censures and disobedience Conscience is a common plea euen to those you hate we inquire not how strong it is but how well informed not whether it suggest this but whereupon To go against the conscience is sinne to follow a mis-informed conscience is sinne also If you do not the first we know you are faultie in the second He that is greater than the conscience will not take this for an excuse But wherein should haue beene this transgression so vnauoidable hainous against conscience First in the want of many Ordinances to which we are most strictly bound both by Gods Word and our owne necessities SECTION XVIII CAn you thinke this hangs well together The want of pretended Ordinances of God whether sinfull to vs and whether they are to bee set vp without Princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—m per exteriorem viâ—lâ—â—tiaÌ„ corâ—â—pitur si interior innocentia custodiatâ—r cap. 114. 3. Custodi c. Ad docendum populum Israelâ—ticum omnipotens Deus Prophetis praeconium dedit non Regibus imperauit Aug. l. 2. contra Gau. c. 11. Barr. causes of separat def p. 6. Barr. Reformation without tarrying Aug. contra Petilian l. 2. Optatus Mileuit lib. 30. Bar. second Examination before the Lord Archbishop and Lord Chiefe-Iustice compar with his reply to M. Gyff Art 5. You should here want many of Gods Ordinances why should you want them Because you are not suffered to enioy them who hinders it Superior powers Did euer man wilfully and hainously offend for wanting of that which he could not haue What hath conscience to doe with that which is out of our power Is necessity with you become a sinne and that hainous Dauid is driuen to lurke in the wildernesse and forced to want the vse of many diuine Ordinances It was his sorrow not his transgression Hee complaines of this but doth he accuse himselfe of sinne Not to desire them had beene sinne no sinne to be debarred them Well might this be Sauls sinne but not his Haue you not sinnes enow of your owne that you must needs borrow of others But I see your ground You are bound to haue these Ordinances and therefore without Princes yea against them so it is your transgression to want them in spight of Magistrates Gaudentius the Donatist taught you this of old And this is one of the Hebrew Songs which Master Barrow sings to vs in Babylon that we care not to make Christ attend vpon Princes and to be subiect to their Lawes and Gouernment and his Predecessor the root of your Sect tels vs in this sense the Kingdome of Heauen must suffer violence and that it comes not with obseruation that men may say Loe the Parliament or loe the Bishops decrees and in the same Treatise The Lords Kingdome must wait on your policy forsooth and
it long since a zealous and learned Sermon dedicated to our present Lord Archbishop by his owne Chaplaine hath no lesse taxed this abuse whether of insufficiencie or negligence though with more discretion than can bee expected from your malicious Pen. Learne henceforth not to diffuse crimes to the innocent For the rest your Baal in our Dispensations for Pluralities would thus plead for himselfe First he would bid you learne of your Doctor to distinguish of sinnes sinnes saith hee are either controuertible or manifest if controuertible or doubtfull men ought to beare one with anothers different iudgement if they doe not c. they sinne such is this if some be resolued others doubt and in whole Volumes plead whether conuenience or necessity how could your charitie compare these with sinnes euicted Secondly Propâ—suit secundum plenitudirem pâ—testatis de iure posâ—â—mus supra iuâ— d spensare Glossâ— pâ—ulo infra Papa coÌ„tra Apostolum dispensat c. SuÌ„ confer p. 52. M. Wâ—ites disco hee would tell you that these Dispensations are intended and directed not against the offence of God but the danger of Humane Lawes not securing from sinne but from losse But for both these points of Non-residence and insufficiencie if you sought not rather strife than satisfaction his Maiesties Speech in the Conference at Hampton Court might haue stayed the course of your quarrellous Pen No reasonable minde but would rest in that Gracious and royall determination Lastly Why looke you not to your owne Elders at home euen your handfull hath not auoided this crime of Non-residency What wonder is it if our world of men haue not escaped SEP You are wiser and I hope honester than thus to attempt though that receiued Maxime amongst you No Ceremony no Bishop no Bishop no King sauours too strongly of that Weed But what though you be loyall to earthly Kings and their Crownes and Kingdomes yet if you bee Traytâ—â—â— and Rebels agains the King of his Church Iesus Christ and the Scepter of his Kingdome not suffering him by his Lawes and officers to reigne ouer you but in stead of them doe stâ—â—p to Antichrist in his offices and Ordinances shall your loyaltie towards men excuse your Treasons against the Lord though you now cry neuer folowd Wee haue no King but Caesar Iohn 19.15 yet is there another King one Iesus which shall returne and passe a heauy doome vpon the Rebellion Luke 19.27 These enemies which would not haue me reigne ouer them bring them and slay them before me SECTION XXXIIII Our Loyaltie to Princes cleered theirs questioned Bar. against Gyfford Inconst of Brown p. 113. YOv that confesse our wisedome and honesty must now plead for your owne your hope is not more of vs than our feare of you To depose Kings dispose Kingdomes is a proud worke you want power but what is our will For Excommunication it is cleere enough While you fully hold that euery priuate man hath as much power in this censure as the Pastor and that Princes must be equally subiect with them to these their censures Let any man now deuise if the Brownists could haue a King how that King could stand one day vnexcommunicated Or if this censure meddle onely with his soule not with his Scepter How more than credible is it that some of your Assemblies in Queene ELIzABETHS dayes concluded Ibid. that shee was not euen in our sense Supreme Head of the Church neither had authority to make Lawes Ecclesiasticall in the Church Inquiry into Th. White It is well if you will disclaime it But you know your receiued position That no one Church is Superiour to other No authoritie therefore can reuerse this Decree your will may doe it yea what better than Rebellion appears in your next clause While you accuse our Loyaltie to an earthly King as treasonable to the King of the Church Christ Iesus If our Loyalty be a sinne where is yours If we be Traytors in our obedience what doe you make of him that commands it Pag. 36. Whether you would haue vs each man to play the Rex and erect a new Gouernment or whether you accuse vs as Rebels to Christ in obeying the old GOD blesse King IAMES from such Subiects But whose is that so vnsauourie weed No Bishop no King Know you whom you accuse let me shew you your Aduersarie it is King IAMES himselfe in his Hampton Conference is there not now suspition in the word surely you had cause to feare that the King would proue no good subiect Belike not to Christ What doe you else in the next but proclaime his opposition to the King of Kings or ours in not opposing his Esa 26.13 As if we might say with the Israelites O Lord our God other Lords besides thee haue ruled vs If we would admit each of your Elders to be so many Kings in the Church wee should stoope vnder Christs Ordinances Shew vs your Commission and let it appeare whether we be Enemies or you Vsurpers Alas you both refuse the rule of this true Deputie and set vp false Let this fearefull doome of Christ light where it is most due Euen so let thine enemies perish O Lord. SEP Not to speake of the errour of vniuersall Grace and consequently of Free-will that groweth on â—pace amongst you what doe you else but put in for a part with God inconuersion though not through freedome of will yet in a deuised Ministery the meanes of conuersion it being the Lords peculiar as well to appoint the outward Ministery of conuersion as to giue the inward grace SECTION XXXV GOe on to slander Euen that which you say you will not speake you do speake with much spight and no truth Errors of Free-will c. fained vpon the Church of England What hath our Church to doe with errors of vniuersall grace or Free-will Errors which her Articles doe flatly oppose what shamelesnesse is this Is shee guilty euen of that which shee condemnes If some few priuate iudgements shall conceiue or bring forth an error shall the whole Church doe penance Would God that wicked and hereticall Anabaptisme did not more grow vpon you than those errours vpon vs you had more neede to defend than accuse But see Christian Reader how this man draggs in crimes vpon vs as Cacus did his 〈◊〉 We doe forsooth part stakes with God in our conuersion wherein in a deuised Ministerie the meanes of conuersion well fetcht about There may bee a Ministerie without a conuersion and è conuerso There may be a conuersion without a Ministery Where now are the stakes parted 1 Cor. 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet thus we part stakes with the Apostle that wee are Gods Fellow-labourers in this great worke He hath separated vs to it and ioyned vs with him in it it is he as we haue proued that hath deuised our Ministerie yea your selfe shall proue it it is his peculiar to appoint the outward Ministery
may neither serue it nor sullenly neglect it and yeeld so far as you may neither betray goodnesse nor countenance euill Let your words be few and digested It is a shame for the tongue to cry the heart mercy much more to cast it selfe vpon the vncertaine pardon of others eares There are but two things which a Christian is charged to buy and not to sell Time and Truth both so precious that we must purchase them at any rate So vse your friends as those which should be perpetuall may be changeable While you are within your selfe there is no danger but thoughts once vttered must stand to hazard Do not heare from your selfe what you would be loth to heare from others In all good things giue the eye and eare the full of scope for they let into the mind restraine the tongue for it is a spender Few men haue repented them of â—ilence In all serious matters take counsell of dayes and nights and friends and let leisure ripen your purposes neither hope to gaine ought by suddennesse The first thoughts may be confident the second are wiser Serue honesty euer though without apparant wages shee will pay sure if slow As in apparell so in actions know not what is good but what becomes you How many warrantable acts haue mis-shapen the Authors Excuse not your owne ill aggrauate not others and if you loue peace auoid censures comparisons contradictions Out of good men chuse acquaintance of acquaintance friends of friends familiars after probation admit them and after admittance change them not Age commendeth friendship Doe not alwayes your best it is neither wise nor safe for a man euer to stand vpon the top of his strength If you would bee aboue the expectation of others be euer below your selfe Expend after your purse not after your mind take not where you may deny except vpon conscience of desert or hope to requite Either frequent suits or complaints are wearisome to any friend Rather smother your griefes and wants as you may then be either querulous or importunate Let not your face belie your heart nor alwayes tell tales out of it he is fit to liue amongst friends or enemies that can be ingenuously close Giue freely sell thriftily Change seldome your place neuer your state either amend inconueniences or swallow them rather then you should run from your selfe to auoid them In all your recknings for the world cast vp some crosses that appeare not either those will come or may Let your suspitions be charitable your trust fearfull your censures sure Giue way to the anger of the great The thunder and Cannon will abide no fence As in throngs we are afraid of losse so while the world comes vpon you looke well to your soule There is more danger in good then in euill I feare the number of these my rules for Precepts are wont as nayles to driue out one another but these I intended to scatter amongst many and as I was loth that any guest should complaine of a niggardly hand Dainty dishes are wont to be sparingly serued out homely ones supply in their bignesse what they want in their worth FINIS PHARISAISME AND CHRISTIANITIE COMPARED AND SET FORTH IN A SERMON AT Pauls Crosse MAY 1. 1608. BY IOS HALL Vpon MATTH 5.20 Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD AND MY VERY good Lord THOMAS Lord Bishop of LONDON I. H. wisheth all Grace and Happinesse RIght Reuerend and Honourable I Know there is store of Sermons extant The Pulpit scarce affordeth more then the Presse J adde to the number and complaine not in all good things abundance is an easie burden If the soule may feed it selfe with variety both by the eare and by the eye it hath no reason to find fault with choice But if any weaker stomacke as in our bodily Tables shall feare to surfet at the fight of too much it is easie for that man to looke off and to confine his eyes to some few Who cannot much sooner abate to himselfe then multiply to another Let not his nice fullennesse preiudice that delight and profit which may arise to others from this number For me J dare not be so enuious as not to blesse God for this plenty and seriously to reioyce that Gods people may thus liberally feast themselues by both their senses neither know J for whether more The sound of the word spoken pierceth more the letter written endureth longer the eare is taught more suddenly more stirringly the eie with leisure and continuance According to my poore abilitie I haue desired to doe good both waies not so much fearing censures as caring to edifie This little labour submissely offers it selfe to your Lordship as iustly yours being both preached at your call and as it were in your charge and by one vnder the charge of your fatherly iurisdiction who vnfainedly desires by all meanes to shew his true heart to Gods Church together with his humble thankefulnesse to your Lordship and professeth still to continue Your Lordships in all humble duty and obseruance IOS HALL PHARISAISME AND CHRISTIANITIE MATTH CHAP. 5. Vers 20. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen THE curious Doctors of the Iewes had reduced all Gods statute-law â—o six hundred and thirteene precepts Petr. Galatâ—â— de arcaâ— fideâ—â—ath ad fin â— Ex glos Ruâ— Shelemoâ— so many as there are dayes in the yeare and members in the body It was an honest and which were strange a Christian conceit of one of their Rabbins that Dauid abridges all these to eleuen in his Psalme 15. Esay to six in his 33 15. Michai yet lower to three in his 6 8. Esay yet againe to two in his 56 1. Habacue to one The iust man shall liue by faith So ye see the Law ends in the Gospell and that Father said not amisse The Law is the Gospell foretold Lex est Euangelium praedictum Euangelium lex completa and the Gospel is the Law fulfilled These two are the freehold of a Christian and what but they The Iewes of these times peruerted the Law reiected the Gospell Our Sauiour therefore that great Prophet of the world as it was high time cleares the Law deliuers and settles the Gospell well approuing in both these that hee came not to consume but to consummate the Law Wherein as Paul to his Corinths he had a great doore but many aduersaries 1 Cor. 16. â— Iohn 3. Art thou a Master in Israel amongst these were the great masters of Israel so our Sauiour tearmes the Pharises and their fellowes and yet their riuals the Scribes both so much harder to oppose by how much their authority was greater Truth hath no roome till falshood be remoued Our
the condition of our mortalitie are passed ouer It shall be fully when the first things of the world are passed Passed not by abolition but by immutation as that Father said well Not the frame of the world but the corruption of that frame must passe The Spirit of God is not curious he cals those things first which were onely former not in respect of the state which is but that which shall be For those things which were first of all were like their Maker good not capable of destruction Our sinnes tainted the whole creation and brought shame vpon all the frame of heauen and earth That which we did shall be disanulled that which God did shall stand for euer and this dissolution shall be our glory other dissolutions strike teares into our eyes as this day is witnesse it is our sorrow that the first things are passed our offices our pensions our hopes our fauours and which we esteemed most our seruices are gone Let this last dissolution comfort vs against the present Who can grieue to see a Familie dissolued that considers the world must bee dissolued This little world of ours first whereof this day giues vs an image for as our seruice so our life must away and then that great one whose dissolution is represented in these The difference is that whereas this dissolution brings teares to some eies that wipes them away from all For all our teares and sorrow and toile and crying and death are for our sinnes take away corruption and misery goes away with it and till then it will neuer be remoued No man puts new wine into old vessels much lesse will God put the new wine of glory into the old vessels of corruption They are our sinnes which as in particular they haue rob'd vs of our Prince changed our seasons swept away thousands with varieties of deaths so in generall they haue deformed the face of heauen and earth and made all the Creation sigh and groane and still make vs incapable of the perfection of our blessednes for while the first things continue there must needs be teares and sorrow and death Let vs therefore looke vpon heauen and earth as goodly creatures but as blemished as transitory as those which we shall once see more glorious Let vs looke vpon our selues with indignation which haue thus distained them and as those which after some terme of their cottage expired are assured they shall haue a marble palace built for them doe long after the time perfixed them and thinke the dayes and moneths pace slowly away till then so let vs earnestly desire the day of the dissolution of this great house of the world that wee may haue our consummation in the new heauen For so soone as euer the old is past Behold saith God I will make all things new Yea the passage of the one is the renewing of the other As the Snake is renewed not by putting on any new coat but by leauing his slough behind him the gold is purified by leauing his drosse in the fire Therefore hee addes not I will but I doe make all new and because this is a great worke behold a great Agent He that sate vpon the Throne said Behold I make all new A Throne signifies Maiestie and sitting permanence or perpetuity God sayes Heauen is my throne in the Psalme but as Salomons throne of iuory and gold was the best piece of his house So Gods throne is the most glorious heauen the heauen of heauens for you see that tho heauen and earth passe away yet Gods throne remain'd still and hee sitting on it neither sinne nor dissolution may reach to the Empyreall heauen the seat of God Here is a state worthy of the King of Kings All the thrones of earthly Monarchs are but pieces of his foot-stoole And as his throne is maiesticall and permanent so is his residence in it Hee sate in the throne S. Stephen saw him standing as it were ready for his defence and protection S. Iohn sees him sitting as our Creed also runnes in regard of his inalterable glory How brittle the thrones of earthly Princes are and how they doe rather stand than sit in them and how slippery they stand too wee feele this day and lament O Lord establish the throne of thy seruant our King and let his seed endure for euer Let his throne be as the Sunne before thee for euermore and as the Moone a faithfull witnesse in heauen But howsoeuer it be with our earthly Gods of his kingdome there is no end Here is a master for Kings whose glory it is to rise vp from their thrones and throw downe their Crownes at his feet and to worship before his foot-stoole Be wise therefore O ye Kings be learned ye Rulers of the earth serue this Lord in feare and reioyce in him with trembling Yea behold here since wee haue the honour to serue him whom Kings serue a royall Master for vs It was one of our sinnes I feare that wee made our Master our God I meane that we made flesh our arme and placed that confidence in him for our earthly stay which we should haue fixed in heauen Our too much hope hath left vs comfortlesse Oh that we could now make God our Master and trust him so much the more as we haue lesse in earth to trust to There is no seruice to the King of heauen for both his throne is euerlasting and vnchangeable and his promotions certaine and honourable He that sits on the throne hath said it To him that ouercomes will I giue to sit with mee in my throne euen as I ouercame and sit with my Father in his throne Behold yee ambitious spirits how yee may truly rise to more than euer the sonnes of Zebedee desired to aspire to seruing is the way to raigning serue him that sits vpon the Throne and ye shall sit yourselues vpon the Throne with him This is the Agent the act is fit for him I make all things new Euen the very Turkes in their Alcoran can subscribe to that of Tertullian Qui potuit facere potest reficere I feare to wrong the holy Maiesty with my rude comparison It is not so much to God to make a world as for vs to speake He spake the word and it was done There is no change which is not from him He makes new Princes new yeeres new gouernments and will make new heauens new earth new inhabitants how easie then is it for him to make new prouisions for vs If wee bee left destitute yet where is our faith Shall God make vs new bodies when they are gone to dust shall he make new heauens and new earth and shall not he whose the earth is and the fulnesse thereof prouide some new meanes and courses of life for vs while we are vpon earth Is the maintenance of one poore worme more than the renewing of heauen and earth Shall he be able to raise vs when we are not and shall he
Father Let vs not number but weigh your texts The rather for that I finde these as your Master-proofes set as Challengers in euery of your defences In Genes 4.13 CAIN a bloudy Fratricide is excommunicated In Genes 6.1 2. The sonnes of God married the daughters of men In Genes 7.1 7. NOAHS time is approued as righteous and enters the Arke In 1 Pet. 3.20 21. The rest in NOAHS time were disobedient and perished What of all this Alas what mockage is this of the Reader and Scriptures Surely you euen ioyne Scriptures as you separate your selues This is right as your Pastor to proue all members of the visible Church elect and precious stones cites 1 King 7.9 where is speech onely of Salomons house in the Forrest of Lebanon his Porch for his Throne his Hall his Palace for Pharaohs daughter and when he comes to describe the office of his imaginarie Doctor thwacks fourteene Scriptures into the margent whereof not any one hath any iust colour of inference to his purpose and in this discourse of the power of the Church that he might seeme to honour his margent with shew of texts hath repeated six places twice ouer in the space of six lines For these of yours you might obiect the first to the Cainites not to vs Cain was cast out worthily Doe we either denie or vtterly forbeare this censure Take heed you follow him not in your voluntarie exile to the land of Nod. The second you might obiect to those mungrell Christians that match with Turkes and Pagans There are sonnes of God that is members of the visible Church and daughters of men which are without the bounds meere Infidels it is sinne for those sonnes to yoke themselues with those daughters What is this to vs Noah was righteous the multitude disobedient Who denies it yet Noah separated not from the corrupted Church till the floud separated him from the earth but continued an ancient Preacher of righteousnesse euen to that peruerse and rebellious Generation But it sufficeth you that Cain and the Giants were separated from the rest We yeeld it what will follow hence saue onely that notorious Malefactors must bee cast out and professed Heathen not let into the Church We hold and wish no lesse your places euince no more These before the Law In Leuit. 20.24.26 God chose our Israel from other people This was Gods act not theirs a sequestring of his Israelites from the Gentiles not of Israel from it selfe yours is your owne and from men in all maine points of your owne profession But therefore Israel must be holy If any man denie holinesse to be required of euery Christian let him feele your Maranatha In Nehem. 9.2 The Israelites separated themselues from the strangers which were Infidels whether in their marriage or deuotion Neither Gods seruice nor an Israelites bed was for Heathens This was not the constituting of a new Church but reforming of the old If therefore you can parallel vs with Pagans and your selues will be Iewes this place fits you Lastly what if there be an hatred betwixt the World and Christs true Disciples Ioh. 17.14.16 what if PETER charged his Auditors to saue themselues from the errors and practise of that froward Generation whose hands were yet freshly imbrewed with the bloud of Christ Act. 2.40 What if the same which PETER taught PAVL practised in separating his followers from hearing some obstinate and blasphemous Iewes Act. 19.9 What if the Church of Corinth were Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 and therefore must be separated from the yoke of Infidels 2.6.17 Are these your patternes Are these fit matches for your brethren baptized in the same water and name professing euery point of the same true faith vsing for substance the same worship with you He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse 1 Ioh. 2.9 SEP Which separation the Church of England neither hath made nor doth make but stands actually one with all that part of the World within the Kingdome without separation for which cause amongst others we haue chosen by the grace of God rather to separate our selues to the Lord from it than with it from him in the visible constitution of it SECTION VI. BVT all these examples perhaps are not so much to warrant what you haue done What separation is to bee made by churches in their planting or restauration In his Preface to the Reader and in his causes of separation defended pag. 4. Eiusdem p. 10. Refutat of M. Gyff p. 22. 2. Transgress p. 51. 52. 55. 66. 70. 85. 86. c. Inconstance of Browne p. 110. Inquiry into M White confessed by Fr. Iohnson pag. 63. Passage twixt Clifton and Smith And concerning the constitution of the Churches c. But the constituting of Churches now after the defection of Antichrist may more properly be called a repairing than a constitution c. as to condemne the Church of England for what shee hath not done for such a separation shee neither hath made nor doth make but stands actually one with all that part of the World within the Kingdome without separation Loe here the maine ground of this Schisme which your Proto-Martyr BARROVV hammers vpon in euery page an ill constitution Thus hee comments vpon your words For where such prophane confuse multitudes without any exception separation or choice were all of them from publike Idolatry at one instant receiued or rather compelled to bee members of the Church in some Parish or other where they inhabited without any due calling to the faith by the preaching of the Gospel going before or orderly ioyning together in the faith there being no voluntarie or particular confession of their owne faith and duties made or required of any and lastly no holy walking in the faith amongst them who can say that these Churches consisting of this people were euer rightly gathered or built according to the rule of Christs Testament In his words and yours I finde both a miscollection and a wrong charge For the former the want of noting one poore distinction breeds all this confusion of Doctrine and separation of men for there is one case of a new Church to be called from Heathenisme to Christianitie another of a former Church to be reformed from errors to more sincere Christianitie In the first of these is required indeed a solemne initiation by Baptisme and before that a voluntarie and particular confession of faith and therefore a cleare separation and exception of the Christian from the Infidell In the latter neither is new Baptisme lawfull though some of you belike of old were in hand with a rebaptization which not then speeding succeedeth now to your shame nor a new voluntarie and particular confession of Faith besides that in Baptisme though very commendable will euer be proued simply necessarie to the being of a Church so long as the erring parties doe actually renounce their doctrines and in open profession
haue much wickednesse in the City where wee liue you in the Church But in earnest doe you imagine wee account the Kingdome of England Babylon or the Citie of Amsterdam Sion It is the Church of England or State Ecclesiasticall which wee account Babylon and from which we withdraw in spirituall Communion but for the Common-Wealth and Kingdome as we honour it aboue all the States in the World so would we thankfully imbrace the meanest corner in it at the extremest conditions of any people in the Kingdome The hellish impieties in the Citie of Amsterdam doe no more preiudice our Heauenly Communion in the Church of Christ than the Frogs Lice Moraine and other plagues ouer-spreading Aegypt did the Israelites when Goshen the portion of their inheritance was free Exod. 8.19 nor than the Deluge wherewith the whole World was couered did NOAH when he and his Familie were safe in the ARke Genes 7. nor than Satans throne did the Church of Pergamus being established in the same Citie with it Reuel 2.12 13. SECTION LIII THe Church and State if they bee two yet they are twins and that so The neerenesse of the State Church the great errours found by the Separatists in the French and Dutch Churches as eithers euill proues mutuall the sinnes of the Citie not reformed blemish the Church where the Church hath power and in a sort comprehends the State shee cannot wash her hands of tolerated disorders in the Common-Wealth hence is my comparison of the Church if you could haue seene it not the Kingdome of England with that of Amsterdam I doubt not but you could bee content to sing the old song of vs Bona terra mala gens Our Land you could like well if you might bee Lords alone Thanks be to God it likes not you and iustly thinks the meanest corner too good for so mutinous a generation when it is weary of Peace it will recall you you that neither in Prison nor on the Seas nor in the Coasts of Virginia nor in your way nor in Netherland could liue in Peace What shall wee hope of your ease at home Where yee are all you thankfull Tenants cannot in a powerfull Christian state moue God to distinguish betwixt the knowne sinnes of the Citie and the Church How oft hath our Gracious Soueraigne and how importunately beene sollicited for a Toleration of Religions It is pittie that the Papists hyred not your Advocation who in this point are those true Cassanders Cassand de Offic. boni viri which Reuerend Caluin long since confuted Their wishes herein are yours To our shame and their excuse his Christian heart held that Toleration vnchristian and intollerable which you either neglect or magnifie Good Constantine winkt at it in his beginning Bellar. de Laicis Euseb in vita Const but as Dauid at the house of Zeruiahâ— Succeeding times found these Canaanites to bee prickes and thornes and therefore both by Mulcts and banishments sought either their yeeldance or voydance If your Magistrates hauing once giuen their names to the Church indeuour not to purge this Augean Stable how can you preferre their Communion to ours But howsoeuer now lest wee should thinke your Land-lords haue too iust cause to packe you away for Wranglers you turne ouer all the blame from the Church to the Citie yet your Pastor and Church haue so found the Citie in the Church and branded it with so blacke markes as that all your smooth extenuations cannot make it a lesse Babylon than the Church of England Behold now by your owne Confessions either Amsterdam shall be or England shall not be Babylon These eleuen crimes you haue found and proclaimed in those Dutch and French Churches Fr. Iohns Artic. against the French and Dutch Churches FIRST That the Assemblies are so contriued that the whole Church comes not together in one So that the Ministers cannot together with the Flocke sanctifie the Lords day the presence of the members of the Church cannot be knowne and finally no publike action whether Excommunication or any other can rightly be performed Could you say worse of vs Where neither Sabbath can bee rightly sanctified nor presence or absence knowne nor any holy action rightly performed what can there be but meere confusion SECONDLY That they baptize the seede of them who are no members of any Visible Church of whom moreouer they haue not care as of members neither admit their Parents to the Lords Supper Meere Babylonisme and sinne in constitution yea the same that makes vs no Church for what separation can there bee in such admittance what other but a sinfull commixture How is the Church of Amsterdam now gathered from the World THIRDLY That in the publike worship of God they haue deuised and vsed another forme of Prayer besides that which Christ our Lord hath prescribed Matth. 6. reading out of a Booke certaine Prayers inuented and imposed by man Behold here our fellow-Idolaters and as followes a daily Sacrifice of a set Seruice-Booke which in stead of the sweet Incense of spirituall Praiers is offered to God very Swines-flesh Barr. against Gâ—ff a new Portuise and an equall participation with vs of the Curse of addition to the Word FOVRTHLY That rule and commandement of Christ Matth. 18.15 they neither obserue nor suffer rightly to bee obserued among them How oft haue you said that there can bee no sound Church without this course because no separation Behold the maine blemish of England in the face of Amsterdam FIFTHLY That they worship God in the Idoll Temples of Antichrist so the Wine is marr'd with the Vessell their seruice abomination with ours neither doe these Antichristian stones want all glorious ornaments of the Romish Harlot yet more SIXTLY That their Ministers haue their set maintenance in another manner than Christ hath ordained 1 Chron. 14. and that also such as by which any Ministerie at all whether Popish or other might be maintained Either Tythes or as ill Behold one of the maine Arguments whereby our Ministerie is condemned as false and Antichristian falling heauy vpon our Neighbours SEVENTHLY That their Elders change yeerely and doe not continue in their Office according to the Doctrine of the Apostles and practise of the Primitiue Church What can our Church haue worse than false Gouernors Both annuall and perpetuall they cannot be What is if not this a wrong in Constitution EIGHTLY That they celebrate marriage in the Church as if it were a part of the Ecclesiasticall Administration a foule shame and sinne and what better than our third Sacrament NINTHLY That they vse a new censure of suspension which Christ hath not appointed no lesse than English presumption TENTHLY That they obserue daies and times consecrating certaine daies in the yeere to the Natiuitie Resurrection Ascension of Christ Behold their Calendar as truely possessed Two Commandements solemnly broken at once and we not Idolaters alone ELEVENTHLY which is last and worst that they receiue vnrepentant Excommunicates
strength of humane patience Oh what shall we then conceiue of that death which knowes no end As this life is no lesse fraile then the dody which it animates so that death is no lesse eternall then the soule which must endure it For vs to be dying so long as wee now haue leaue to liue is intollerable and yet one onely minute of that other tormenting death is worse then an age of this Oh the desperate infidelity of carlesse men that shrinke at the thought of a momentarry death and feare not eternall This is but a killing of the body that is a destruction of body and soule Who is so worthy to weare Crowne of Israel as hee that wonne the Crowne from Midian Their vsurpers were gone now they are headlesse It is a doubt whether they were better to haue had no Kings or Tyrants They sue to Gideon to accept of the Kingdome and are repulsed There is no greater ensample of modesty then Gideon When the Angell spake to him he abased himselfe below all Israel when the Ephraimites contended with him he prefers their gleanings to his vintage and casts his honour at their feete and now when Israel proffers him that Kingdome which he had merited he refuses it Hee that in ouercomming would allow them to cry The sword of the Lord and of Gideon in gouerning will haue none but The sword of the Lord. That which others plot and sue and sweare and bribe for Dignity and superiority he seriously reiects whether it were for that he knew God had not yet called them to a Monarchy or rather for that he saw the crowne among thornes What doe we ambitiously affect the commahd of these mole-hils of earth when wise men haue refused the proffers of kingdomes Why doe we not rather labour for that Kingdome which is free from all cares from all vncertainty Yet he that refuses their Crowne cals for their earings although not to enrich himselfe but religion So long had God been a stranger to Israel that now superstion goes currant for deuout worship It were pitty that good intentions should make any man wicked here they did so Neuer man meant beter then Gideon in his rich Ephod yet this very act set all Israel on whoring God had chosen a place and a seruice of his own When the wit of man will be ouer-pleasing God with better deuices then his own it turnes to madnesse and ends in mischiefe ABIMELECHS vsurpation GIdeon refused the Kingdome of Israel when it was offered his seuenty sons offered not to obtain that Scepter which their fathers victory had deserued to make hereditary onely Abimelec the concubines sonne sues and ambitiously plots for it What could Abimelec see in himselfe that hee should ouer-looke all his brethren If he lookt to his father they were his equals if to his mother they were his betters Those that are most vnworthy of honour are hottest in the chase of it whiles the conscience of better deserts bids men sit still and stay to bee either importuned or neglected There can bee no greater signe of vnfitnesse then vehement sute It is hard to say whether there bee more pride or ignorance in Ambition I haue noted this difference betwixt spirituall and earthly honour and the Clients of both wee cannot be worthy of the one without earnest prosecution nor with earnest prosecution worthy of the other The violent abtaine heauen onely the meeke are worthy to inherit the earth That which an aspiring heart hath proiected it will find both argument and meanes to effect If either bribes or fauour will carry it the proud man will not sit out The Shechemites are fit brokers for Abimelec That City which once betrayed it selfe to vtter depopulation in yeelding to the sute of Hamor now betraies it selfe and al Israel in yeelding to the request of Abimelec By them hath this Vsurper made himselfe a fair way to the Throne It was an easie question Whether wil ye admit of the sons of Gideon for your Rulers or of strangers If of the sons of Gideon whether of all or one If of one whether of your owne flesh and bloud or of others vnknowne To cast off the sonnes Gideon for strangers were vnthankfull To admit of seuenty Kings in one small Country were vnreasonable To admit of any other rather then their own kinsman were vnnaturall Gideons sonnes therefore must rule amongst all Israel One of his sonnes amongst those seuenty and who should be that one but Abimelec Naturall respects are the most dangerous corrupters of all elections What hope can there be of worthy Superiors in any free people where neerenesse of bloud carries it from fitnesse of disposition Whiles they say Hee is our brother they are enemies to themselues and Israel Faire words haue won his brethren they the Shechemites the Shechemites furnish him with money mony with men His men begin with murder and now Abimelec raignes alone Flattery bribes and bloud are the vsuall staires of the Ambitious The money of Baal is a fit hier for murderers that which Idolatry hath gathered is fitly spent vpon Treason One diuell is ready to helpe another in mischiefe seldome euer is ill gotten riches better imployed It is no wonder if he that hath Baal his Idol now make an Idoll of Honour There was neuer any man that worshipped but one Idol Woe be to them that lie in the way of the Aspiring Though they be brothers they shall bleed yea the neerer they are the more sure is their ruine Who would not now thinke that Abimelec should finde an hell in his breast after so barbarous and vnnaturall a massacre and yet behold he is a senslesse as the stone vpon which the bloud of his seuerity brethren was spilt Where Ambition hath possest it selfe throughly of the soule it turnes the heart into steele and makes it vncapeable of a conscience All sinnes will easily downe with the man that is resolued to rise Onely Iotham fell not at that fatall stone with his brethren It is an hard battell where none escapes He escapes not to raigne not to reuenge but to be a Prophet and a witnesse of the vengeance of God vpon the vsurper vpon the Abettors He liues to tel Abimelec that he was but a bramble a weed rather then a tree A right bramble indeed that grew but out of the base hedge-row of a Concubin that could not lift vp his head from the earth vnlesse he were supported by some bush or pale of Shechem that had laid hold of the fleece of Israel and had drawne bloud of all his brethren and lastly that had no substance in him but the sap vaine-glory and the pricks of cruelty It was better then a Kingdome to him out of his obscure Beere to see the fire out of his bramble to consume those tres The view of Gods reuenge is so much more pleasing to a good heart then his owne glory by how much it is more iust and full There was neuer
Samuel himselfe whiles hee was aliue could not haue spoken more grauely more seuerely more diuinely than this euill ghost For the Lord will rent thy Kingdome out of thy hand and giue it to thy neighbour Dauid because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lord not executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites therefore hath the Lord done this vnto thee this day When the Deuill himselfe puts on grauity and religion who can maruell at the hypocrisie of men Well may lewd men bee good Preachers when Satan himselfe can play the Prophet Where are those Ignorants that thinke charitably of charmes and spells because they finde nothing in them but good words What Prophet could speake better words than this Deuill in Samuels Mantle Neither is there at any time so much danger of that euill spirit as when hee speakes best I could wonder to heare Satan preach thus prophetically if I did not know that as hee was once a good Angell so hee can still act what hee was Whiles Saul was in consultation of sparing Agag wee shall neuer finde that Satan would lay any blocke in his way Yea then hee was a prompt Orator to induce him into that sinne now that it is past and gone hee can lade Saul with fearefull denunciations of iudgement Till wee haue sinned Satan is a parasite when wee haue sinned hee is a Tyrant What cares hee to flatter any more when hee hath what hee would Now his onely worke is to terrifie and confound that hee may enioy what he hath wonne How much better is it seruing that Master who when wee are most deiected with the conscience of euill heartens vs with inward comfort and speakes peace to the soule in the midst of tumult Ziklag spoyled and reuenged HAd not the King of the Philistims sent Dauid away early his Wiues and his people and substance which hee left at Ziklag had beene vtterly lost Now Achish did not more pleasure Dauid in his entertainment than in his dismission Saul was not Dauids enemy more in the persecution of his person than in the forbearance of Gods enemies Behold thus late doth Dauid feele the smart of Sauls sinne in sparing the Amalekites who if Gods sentence had beene duly executed had not now suruiued to annoy this parcell of Israel As in spirituall respects our sinnes are alwayes hurtfull to our selues so in temporall oft-times preiudiciall to posteritie A wicked man deserues ill of those hee neuer liued to see I cannot maruell at the Amalekites assault made vpon the Israelites of Ziklag I cannot but maruell at their clemencie how iust it was that while Dauid would giue aid to the enemies of the Church against Israel the enemies of the Church should rise against Dauid in his peculiar charge of Israel But whilst Dauid rouing against the Amalekites not many dayes before left neither man nor woman aliue how strange is it that the Amalekites inuading and surprizing Ziklag in reuenge kill neither man nor woman Shall wee say that mercy is fled from the brests of Israelites and rests in Heathens Or shall wee rather ascribe this to the gracious restraint of God who hauing designed Amalek to the slaughter of Israel and not Israel to the slaughter of Amalek moued the hand of Israel and held the hands of Amalek This was that alone that made the Heathens take vp with an vn-bloudy reuenge burning only the wâ—â—es and leading away the persons Israel crossed the reuealed will of God insparing Amalek Amalek fulfils the secret will of God in sparing Israel It was still the lot of Amalek to take Israel at all aduantages vpon their first comming out of Egypt when they were weary weake and vnarmed then did Amalek assault them And now when one part of Israel was in the field against the Philistians another was gone with the Philistims against Israel the Amalekites set vpon the Coasts of both and goes away laded with the spoile No other is to bee exspected of our spirituall Aduersaries who are euer readiest to assayle when wee are the vnreadiest to defend It was a wofull spectacle for Dauid and his Souldiers vpon their returne to find mines and ashes in stood of houses and in steed of their Families solitude Their Citie was vanished into smoke their housholds into captiuitie neither could they know whom to accuse or where to enquire for redresse whiles they made account that their home should recompence their tedious iourney with comfort the miserable desolation of their home doubles the discomfort of their iourney what remained there but teares and lamentations They lifted vp their voyces and wept till they could weepe no more Heere was plentie of nothing but misery and sorrow The heart of euery Israelite was brim full of griefe Dauids ranne ouer for besides that his crosse was the same with theirs all theirs was his alone each man looke on his fellow as a partner of affliction but euery one lookt vpon Dauid as the cause of all their affliction and as common displeasure is neuer but fruitfull of reuenge they all agree to stone him as the Author of their vndoing whom they followed all this while as the hopefull meanes of their aduacements Now Dauids losse is his least griefe neither as if euery thing had conspired to torment him can hee looke besides the aggrauation of his sorrow and danger Saul and his Souldiers had hunted him out of Israel the Philistim Courtiers had hunted him from the fauour of Achish the Amalekites spoyled him in Ziklag yet all these are easie aduersaries in comparison of his owne his owne followers are so far from pittying his participation of the losse that they are ready to kill him because they are miserable with him Oh the many and grieuous perplexities of the man after Gods owne heart If all his traine had ioyned their best helpes for the mitigation of his griefe their Cordials had beene too weake but now the vexation that arises from their fury and malice drowneth the sence of their losse and were enough to distract the most resolute heart why should it bee strange to vs that wee meete with hard tryalls when wee see the deare Annoynted of God thus plunged into euils What should the distressed sonne of Ishai now doe Whither should hee thinke to turne him to goe backe to Israel hee durst not to goe to Achish hee might not to abide amonst those waste heapes hee could not or if there might haue beene harbor in those burnt wals yet there could bee no safety to remayne with those mutinous spirits But Dauid comforted himselfe in the Lord his God oh happie and sure refuge of a faithfull soule The earth yeelded him nothing but matter of disconsolation and heauinesse hee lifts his eyes aboue the hils whence commeth his saluation It is no maruell that God remembreth Dauid in all his troubles since Dauid in all his troubles did thus remember his God hee knew that though no mortall eye of reason or sence could discerne any euasion
that holy vse an hundred thousand talents of gold a thousand thousand talents of siluer besides brasse and yron passing weight Hee weighes out those precious metalls for their seuerall designements Euery future vessell is laid out already in his poise if not in his forme Hee excites the Princes of Israel to their assistance in so high a worke He takes notice of their bountifull offerings He numbers vp the Leuites for the publique seruice and sets them their taskes Hee appoints the Singers and other Musitians to their stations the Porters to the Gates that should be And now when he hath set all things in a desired order and forwardnesse he shuts vp with a zealous blessings of his Salomon and his people and sleepes with his fathers Oh blessed soule how quiet a possession hast thou now taken after so many tumults of a better Crowne Thou that hast prepared all things for the house of thy God how happily art thou now welcomed to that house of his not made with hands eternall in the heauens Who now shall enuie vnto good Princes the honour of ouerseeing the businesses of God and his Church when Dauid was thus punctuall in these diuine prouisions What feare can bee of vsurpation where they haue so glorious a precedent Now is Salomon the second time crowned King of Israel and now in his owne right as formerly in his fathers sits peaceably vpon the Throne of the Lord His awe and power comâ— on faster then his yeeres Enuie and ambition where it is once kindled may sooner be hid in the ashes then quite put out Adonijah yet hangs after his old hopes He remembers how sweet he found the name of a King and now hath laid a new plot for the setting vp of his crackt title He would make the bed a step to the throne His old complices are sure enough His part would gather much strength if he might inioy Abishag the relict of his father to wife If it were not the Iewish fashion as is pretended that a Kings widow should mary none but a King yet certainly the power both of the alliance and friendship of a Queene must needes not a little aduance his purpose The crafty riuall dare not either moue the suit to Salomon or effect the mariage without him but would cunningly vndermine the sonne by the suit of that mother whose suit had vndermined him The weaker vessells are commonly vsed in the most dangerous suggestions of euill Bathsheba was so wise a woman that some of her counsels are canonized for diuine yet she saw not the depth of this drift of Adonijah therefore she both entertaines the suit and moues it But what euer were the intent of the suitor could she choose but see the vnlawfulnesse of so incestuous a match It is not long since shee saw her late husband Dauid abominating the bed of those his Concubines that had been touched by his sonne Absalom and can she hold it lawfull that his sonne Adonijah should climb vp to the bed of his fathers wife Sometimes euen the best eyes are dimme and discerne not those things which are obuious to weaker sights Or whether did not Bathsheba well see the foulenesse of the suit and yet in compassion of Adonijahs late repulse wherein she was the chiefe agent and in a desire to make him amends for the losse of the Kingdome she yeelds euen thus to gratifie him It is an iniurious weakenesse to bee drawne vpon any by-respects to the furtherance of faulty suits of vnlawfull actions No sooner doth Bathsheba come in place then Salomon her sonne rises from his chaire of State and meets her and bowes to her and sets her on his right hand as not so remembring himselfe to be a King that he should forget he was a sonne No outward dignity can take away the rights and obligations of nature Had Bathsheba beene as meane as Salomon was mighty she had caried away this honor from a gracious sonne Yet for all these due complements Bathsheba goes away with a deniall Reuerence she shall haue she shall not haue a condescent In the acts of Magistracie all regards of naturall relations must giue way That which she propounded as a small request is now after a generall and confused ingagement reiected as vnreasonable It were pity wee should bee heard in all our suits Bathsheba makes a petition against herselfe and knowes it not her safetie and life depends vpon Salomons raign yet she vnwittingly moues for the aduancement of Adonijah Salomon was to dutifull too checke his mother and too wise to yeeld to her In vnfit supplications wee are most heard when we are repelled Thus doth our God many times answer our prayers with mercifull denialls and most blesseth vs in crossing our desires Wise Salomon doth not find himselfe perplexed with the scruple of his promise he that had said Aske on for I will not say thee nay can now sweare God doe so to mee and more also if Adonijah haue not spoken this word against his owne life His promise was according to his supposition his supposition was of no other then of a suit honest reasonable expedient now he holds himselfe free from that grant wherein there was at once both sin and danger No man can be intangled with generall words against his owne iust and honest intentions The policies of wicked men befoole them at last this intercession hath vndone Adonijah and in stead of the Throne hastens his graue The sword of Benaiah puts an end to that dangerous riuality Ioab and Abiathar still held Champerty with Adonijah Their hand was both in his claime of the Kingdome and in the suit of Abishag There are crimes wherein there are no accessories such is thâ—â— of treason Abiathar may thanke his burden that he liues Had he not borne the Arke of the Lord before Dauid he had not now caried his head vpon his shoulders Had he not been afflicted with Dauid he had perished with Adonijah now though he were in his owne merit a man of death yet he shall suruiue his partners Get thee to Anathoth vnto thine owne fields The Priesthood of Abiathar as it aggrauated his crime so it shall preserue his life Such honor haue good Princes giuen to the Ministers of the Sanctuarie that their very coate hath beene defence enough against the sword of iustice how much more should it be of proofe against the contempt of base persons Besides his function respect is had to his sufferings The father and brethren of Abiathar were slaine for Dauids sake therefore for Dauids sake Abiathar though worthy of death shall liue He had been now a dead man if he had not beene formerly afflicted Thus doth our good God deale with vs by the rod he preuents the sword and therefore will not condemne vs for our sins because we haue suffered If Abiathar doe not forfait his life yet his office he shall he must change Ierusalem for Anathoth and the Priesthood for a retired priuacie
a Prophet But what doe J with-hold your Lordship in the bare heads of this insuing discourse Jn all these your piercing eies shall easily see beyond mine and make my thoughts but a station for a further discouery Your Lordships obseruation hath studied men more then bookes here it shall study God more then men That of bookes hath made you full that of men iudicious this of God shall make you holy and happy Hitherto shall euer tend the wishes and indeuours of Your Lordships humbly deuoted in all faithfull obseruance IOS HALL Contemplations REHOBOAM WHO would not but haue looked that seuen hundred wiues and three hundred concubines should haue furnished Salomons Palace with choise of heires and haue peopled Israel with royall issue and now behold Salomon hath by all these but one Sonne and him by an Ammonitesse Many a poore man hath an house-full of children by one wife whiles this great King hath but one sonne by many house-fulls of wiues Fertility is not from the meanes but from the author It was for Salomon that Dauid sung of old Lo children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe is his reward How oft doth God deny this heritage of heires where he giues the largest heritage of lands and giues most of these liuing possessions where he giues least of the dead that his blessings may bee acknowledged free vnto both entailed vpon neither As the greatest persons cannot giue themselues children so the wisest cannot giue their children wisdome Was it not of Rehoboam that Salomon said I hated all my labour which I had taken vnder the Sunne because I should leaue it vnto the man that shall be after me and who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a foole Yet shall he rule ouer all my labour wherein I haue laboured and shewed my selfe wise vnder the Sunne All Israel found that Salomons wit was not propagated Many a foole hath had a wiser sonne then this wisest father Amongst many sonnes it is no newes to finde some one defectiue Salomon hath but one sonne and he no miracle of wisdome God giues purposely so eminent an instance to teach men to looke vp to heauen both for heires and graces Salomon was both the King of Israel the father of Rehoboam when he was scarce out of his childhood Rehoboam enters into the Kingdome at a ripe age yet Salomon was the man and Rehoboam the child Age is no iust measure of wisdome There are beardlesse sages and gray-headed children Not the ancient are wise but the wise is ancient Israel wanted not for thousands that were wiser then Rehoboam Yet because they knew him to be the sonne of Salomon no man makes question of his gouernement In the case of succession into Kingdomes we may not looke into the qualities of the person but into the right So secure is Salomon of the peoples fidelity to Dauids seed that he followes not his fathers example in setting his sonne by him in his owne throne here was no danger of a riualitie to inforce it no eminency in the sonne to merit it It sufficeth him to know that no bond can bee surer then the naturall allegeance of subiects I doe not finde that the following Kings stood vpon the confirmation of their people but as those that knew the way to their throne ascended those steps without aid As yet the soueraignty of Dauids house was greene and vnsetled Israel therefore doth not now come to attend Rehoboam but Rehoboam goes vp to meet Israel They come not to his Ierusalem but he goes to their Shechem To Shechem were all Israel come to make him King If loyalty drew them together why not rather to Ierusalem there the maiestie of his fathers Temple the magnificence of his palace the very stones in those walles besides the strength of his guard had pleaded strongly for their subiection Shechem had beene many wayes fatall was euerie way incommodious It is an infinite helpe or disaduantage that arises from circumstances The very place puts Israel in minde of a rebellion There Abimelec had raised vp his treacherous vsurpation ouer and against his brethren There Goal against Abimelec There was Ioseph sold by his brethren As if the very soile had beene stained with perfidiousnesse The time is no lesse ill chosen Rehoboam had ill counsell ere he bewraied it For had he speedily called vp Israel before Ieroboam could haue beene sent for out of Egypt he had found the way cleere A little delay may leefe a great deale of opportunity what shall we say of both but that misery is led in by infatuation Had not Israel beene somewhat predisposed to a mutinie they had neuer sent into Egypt for such a spokesman as Ieroboam a fugatiue a traitor to Salomon long had that crafty conspirator lurked in a forraine Court The alliances of Princes are not euer necessary bonds of friendship The brother in law of Salomon harbours this snake in his bosome and giues that heat which is repaid with a sting to the posterity of so neere an allye And now Salomons death calls him backe to his natiue soile That Israel would entertaine a rebell it was an ill signe worse yet that they would countenance him worst of all that they would imploy him Nothing doth more bewray euill intentions then the choice of vicious Agents Those that meane well will not hazard either the successe or credit of their actions vpon offensiue instruments None but the sluttish will wipe their faces with foule clothes Vpright hearts would haue said as Dauid did to God so to his anointed Doe not I hate them that hate thee Yea I hate them with a perfect hatred Ieroboams head had beene a fit present to haue tendered vnto their new King and now in stead thereof they tender themselues to Ieroboam as the head of their faction Had not Rehoboam wanted spirits he had first after Salomons example done iustice to his fathers traytor and then haue treated of mercy towards his subiects The people soone found the weaknesse of their new Soueraigne else they durst not haue spoken to him by so obnoxious a tongue Thy father made our yoke grienous make thou it lighter and we will serue thee Doubtlesse the crafty head of Ieroboam was in this suit which his mouth vttered in the name of Israel Nothing could haue beene more subtill It seemed a promise it was a threat that which seemed a supplication was a complaint humility was but a vaile for discontentment One hand held a paper the other a sword Had they said Free vs from Tributes the capitulation had beene grosse and strongly sauoring of sedition now they say Ease vs they professe his power to impose and their willingnesse to yeeld onely crauing fauour in the weight of the imposition If Rehoboam yeeld he blemisheth his father If hee deny hee indangers his kingdome His wilfulnesse shall seeme worthily to abandon his scepter if he sticke at so reasonable a suit
thousand Rammes with fleeces to the King of Israel The backes of Israel can ill misse the wooll of Moab they will put on iron to recouer their cloth Iehoshaphat had beene once well chid well frighted for ioyning with Ahab against Aram yet doth he not sticke now againe to come into the field with Iehoram against Moab The case is more fauourable lesse dangerous Baal is cast downe The Images of the false gods are gone though the false Images of the true God stand still Beside this rebellious Moab had ioyned with the Syrians formerly against Iudah so as Iehoshaphat is interessed in the reuenge After resolution of the end wisely doe these Kings deliberate of the way It is agreed to passe through Edom that Kingdome was annexed to the Crowne of Iudah well might Iehoshaphat make bold with his owne It was it seemes a march farre about in the measure of the way but neerest to their purpose the assault would bee thus more easie if the passage were more tedious The three Kings of Israel Iudah Edom together with their Armies are vpon foot They are no sooner comne into the parching wildes of Edom then they are ready to die for thirst If the channels were far off yet the waters were further the scorching beames of the Sun haue dried them vp and haue left those riuers more fit for walke then entertainment What are the greatest Monarchs of the world if they want but water to their mouthes What can their Crownes and Plumes and rich Armes made them when they are abridged but of that which is the drinke of beasts With dry tongues and lippes doe they now conferre of their common misery Iehoram deplores the calamity into which they were falne but Iehoshaphat askes for a Prophet Euery man can bewaile a mischiefe euery man cannot finde the way out of it still yet I heare good Iehoshaphat speake too late He should haue inquired for a Prophet ere he had gone forth so had hee auoided these straits Not to consult at all with God is Iehorams sinne to consult late is Iehoshaphats the former is atheous carelesnesse the later forgetfull ouer-sight The best man may slacken good duties the worst contemnes them Not without some specialty from God doth Elisha follow the campe Else that had beene no Element for a Prophet Little did the good King of Iudah thinke that God was so neere him Purposely was this holy Seer sent for the succour of Iehoshaphat and his faithfull followers when they were so farre from dreaming of their deliuerie that they knew not of a danger It would be wide with the best men if the eye of diuine prouidence were not open vpon them when the eye of their care is shut towards it How well did Elisha in the warres The strongest squadron of Israel was within that brest All their Armour of proofe had not so much safety and protection as his Mantle Though the King of Israel would take no notice of the Prophet yet one of his Courtiers did Here is Elisha the sonne of Shaphat which powred water on the hands of Elijah This follower of Iehoram knowes Elijah by his owne name by his fathers by his masters The Court of Israel was profane and Idolatrous enough yet euen there Gods Prophet had both knowledge and honour His very seruice to Elijah was enough to win him reuerence It is better to be an attendant of some man then to be attended by many That hee had powred water on Elijahs hands was insinuation enough that hee could powre out water for those three Kings The three Kings vvalke downe by the motion of Iehoshaphat to the man of God It was newes to see three Kings going downe to the seruant of him vvho ran before the charet of Ahab Religion and necessity haue both of them much power of humiliation I know not vvhether more Either zeale or need vvill make a Prophet honored How sharply dares the man of God to chide his Soueraigne the King of Israel The liberty of the Prophets vvas no lesse singular then their calling Hee that vvould borrow their tongue must shew their Commission As God reproued Kings for their sakes so did not they sticke to reproue Kings for his sake Thus much freedome they must leaue to their successors that vve may not spare the vices of them vvhose persons we must spare Iustly is Iehoram turn'd off to the Prophets of his father and the Prophets of his mother It is but right and equall that those which wee haue made the comfort and stay of our peace should be the refuge of our extremity If our prosperity haue made the world our God how worthily shall our death-bed be choaked with this exprobration Neither would the case beare an Apology nor the time an expostulation Iehoram cannot excuse he can complaine he findes that now three Kings three Kingdomes are at the mercy of one Prophet it was time for him to speake faire nothing sounds from him but lamentations and intreaties Nay for the Lord hath called these three Kings together to deliuer them into the hand of Moab Iehoram hath so much grace as to confesse the impotency of those hee had trusted and the power of that God whom hee had neglected Euery sinner cannot see and acknowledge the hand of God in his sufferings Already hath the distressed Prince gained something by this misery None complaines so much as he none feeles so much as hee All the rest suffer for him and therefore he suffers in them all The man of God who well sees the in-sufficiency of Iehorams humiliation layes on yet more load As the Lord liueth before whom I stand Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah I would not looke toward thee nor see thee Behold the double Spirit of Elijah the master was not more bold with the father then the seruant was with the sonne Elisha was a subiect and a Prophet Hee must say that as a Prophet which hee might not as a subiect As a Prophet hee would not haue lookt at him whom as a subiect he would haue bowed to It is one thing when God speaks by him another when he speakes of himselfe That it might well appeare his dislike of sinne stood with his honour of Soueraignty Iehoshaphat goes away with that respect which Iehoram missed No lesse doth God and his Prophet regard religious sincerity then they abhorre Idolatry and profanenesse What shall not be done for a Iehoshaphat For his sake shall those two other Princes and their vast Armies liue and preuaile Edom and Israel whether single or conioyned had perished by the drought of the desert by the sword of Moab One Iehoshaphat giues them both life and victory It is in the power of one good man to oblige a world wee receiue true though insensible fauours from the presence of the righteous Next to being good it is happy to conuerse with them that are so if wee bee not bettered by their example