5. By the heresie of the father a childe is freed from his obedience So that if a Priest returning into England findeth his father to be a Protestant he may deny him to be his father meaning that he is not such a one as he ought to acknowledge for his father 6. That Heretikes may not be tearmed either children or kindred but according to the old Law thy hand must be vpon them to spill their bloud 7. That it is not lawfull for Christians to tolerate an hereticall King they may expell him depose him yea murther him And this they say is agreeable to the Apostolique doctrine 8. If warre be once proclaimed by them against Sectaries that is in their language vs Protestants then it is lawfull for any priuate man to take spoile kill such Sectaries and burne their houses ouer their heads 9. It is lawfull for Catholike Princes to make league with Protestants only for their owne aduantage as for example to dispatch some businesses which hinder them from falling vpon Protestants with their whole forces 10. And that one may sweare with Equiuocation and ment all reseruation is good positiue Diuinitie with them By these and the like Positions which they maintaine we plainly see how they dissolue all bands of humane fellowship and strangle the vitall spirits of humane societie Whether it be safe then to suffer such iudge yee Besides as is their doctrine such is their practise in deposing Kings and Emperours practising hellish treasons iustifying the murdering of Princes making leagues only for their owne ends breaking their promises oathes vowes at their pleasure Can it then be well with the Vineyard if these Foxes be at libertie Can it be well with the Lambes of Christ if these Wolues be suffered to range about Can Israel enioy the Land of Canaan in quiet if these Canaanites be not subdued as seruants to the Congregation or subuerted as enemies Let therefore all such Magistrates as tender the good of their King and Crowne Land and State doe their best to watch and catch these Foxes lenitie and mildnesse hath long beene vsed Now to vse the words of a late worthy Prelate some iustice with mercie would doe well some frosts with the fire that warmes these Snakes in the bowels of our Land some pluckes at these thornes and prickles in our eyes the mean time and will be hereafter in our sides and hearts lest if lustice goe on to sleepe as it were her dead sleepe the tares of disloyaltie treasons and seditions be so thick sowen in the field of this Kingdome by those enuious ones the Seedesmen of Rome that it will be difficultie and mastrie afterwards to remoue them 3 And let all good Christians of what estate or degree soeuer beware of hauing any inward societie or familiaritie with Idolaters or other obstinate sinners and offenders It is worthy our remembring how when the Emperour Theodosius senior was desirous to confer with Eunomius the Arrian Bishop his wife Plaâ—â—â—a the Empresse very earnestly disswaded him lest hee being peruerted by his speeches should beginne to like of his heresie and surely there is more danger of being infected by them than of doing good vpon them Easier is it to draw a prophane person from hell gates than to remoue an opinion from a wilfull minde Let vs all with Iacob cleanse and purge our families of these and such like baggage not suffering any vngodly person to dwell with vs. We see how it is in the bodie when nature hath any euill or vnprofitable humours that oppresse the stomacke it is forced to cast them out for the preseruation of the health of other parts So should it be with vs if wee perceiue our families to be endangered by obstinate and obdurate sinners it should vomit them out as raw and vndigested humours by timely election lest the whole head wax heauie and the whole bodie sickly and so the vitall parts languish To conclude let vs all pray and pray heartily for this Vineyard in this Land as all are directed by authoritie Lord strengthen the hands of our gratious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land that with iudgement and iustice they may cut off and root out that Babylonish and Antichristian Sect out of the Confines and limits of this Kingdome that they may neuer preuaile against vs nor triumph in the ruines of this Church And with our Prayer let all protest with one ioynt voice to God Thou art my Lord c. their sorrowes shall be multiplied that hasten after another god their drinke-offering of bloud will I not offer nor take vp their names into my lips Now in the next place consider we of Gods great loue to this his Vineyard in regard of the Choice Vine wherewith he planted it It was not of an ordinary but of the best and noblest kinde Which whether it be meant of all the seed of Abraham in generall as some would haue it or of some of the choisest persons of the house of Iudah in particular as of Dauid Solomon and other such godly Kings as some other take it yet this will follow The godly and their seed are the noblest plants and choisest persons Such as are godly such are most excellent My goodnesse saith Dauid extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Where see how that Kingly Prophet honoureth such as are Saints with the name of Excellent and Worthies of the earth And Solomon his sonne affirmeth as much when he telleth vs The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour i. he is better beloued and graced of God and hath that in him which maketh him more honourable than any other who is vnrighteous and sinfull And our Prophet Isaiah calleth the godly in plaine termes The glory Vpon all the glory saith he shall be a defence Thus as the godly goe before all other in virtue so they goe before them in honour and as they exceed others in pietie so they surmount them in excellencie And that this is truth viz. That the godly are the noblest and choisest persons may appeare further if we consider 1. Their Race and Pedigree for they are descended of the bloud royall they are borne of God being sonnes and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords And whereas other men are called children of the earth or children of disobedience or children of iniquitie or children of wrath or children of death or children of the Deuill or children of perdition or children of Hell we shall finde that all the godly are called either children of light or children of the Prophets or children of the Promise or children of the wedding chamber or children of the Kingdome Thus for birth and bloud they exceed all other of the earth besides 2.
thornes I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine vpon it 7 For the Vineyard of the LORD of Hostes is the house of Israel and the men of Iudah his pleasant plant and he looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a cry A Table of the Method of the whole Parabolicall Song of the BELOVED followed in this EXPOSITION 〈◊〉 this Song 〈◊〉 the Beloâ—â—d we haue â—â—nsiderable The Prooem or Preface to it where are remarkable 1 The Inditer instrumentall or penman of it I. 2 The Nature or kinde of Treatise indited A Song 3 The Manner of the Authors deliuerie of it Will sing 4 The Person to whom he dedicates it To my welbeloued 5 The Authoritie whereby he published it Of his beloued 6 The Subiect Matter contained in it Touching his Vineyard The Poem it selfe or body of itâ— and therein is obseruable A Parable which is Briefly propounded vers 1. wherein take we notice of 1 The Husbandman My welbeloued 2 His Possession Had a Vineyard Largely prosecuted vers 2-7 and therin the Vineyards Plantation where wee haue The Vinitors care and paines manifested 1 In its Situation for it was 1 On a hill 2 A fruitfull hill 3 A very fruitfull hill 2 In its Protection He fenced it in 3 In its Elapidation He gathered out the stones 4 In the Plants election He planted it with the choisest vine 5 In its Fortification He built a Tower in the midst of it 6 In the Wine-presses erection He made a wine-presse therein And the successe where is declared 1 What he expected He locked for grapes 2 What it returned It brought forth wilde grapes Supplantation and there obserue His Plea with them in it 1 His Appeale to them and there note 1 The Manner of it I pray you 2 The Matter of it Iudge 3 The Iudges of the cause 1 Inhabitants of Ierusalem 2 Men of Iudah 4 The Parties at variance Mee My Vineyard 2 The Inditement against them where marke 1. He acquitteth himselfe â—hat could I haue done c. 2. Accuseth them which accusation is amplified by Antithesis from His iust demand Wherefore when I locked c. Their vniust demeanour brought it forth wilde grapes Sentence vpon them and in it 1 A gratious premonition demonstrating Gods mercy 1 In foretelling it I will tell you 2 In prolonging it What I will doe 2 A terrible execution manifesting Gods iustice where 1 The punisher I. 2 The punished My Vineyard 3. The punishment which consisteth 1 In the euill of lesse I will take away the hedge breake downe the wall c. 2 In the euill of sense It shall be eaten vp trodden downe c. The Application where is shewed vers 8. Who this Vinitor is The Lord. The Lord of Hoasts Which the Vineyard was The house of Israel The men of Iudah What the grapes were Which he expected Iudgement Righteousnesse Which they returned Oppression A cry A Strange Vineyard in PALAESTINA IN An exposition of Isaiahs parabolicall Song of the Beloued discouered To which Gods Vineyard in this our Land is Paralleld ISAIAH 5. 1. 8. Now will I sing to my well-beloued a Song of my Text. beloued touching his Vineyard IT was a practice vsuall with the Prophets in former times after that they had prophesied to the people to gather a compendious summe of what they had taught and affixe it to the gate of the Temple that the prophesie might be the better viewed and learned of all and after it had there remained for certaine daies it was then taken downe and put into the treasurie of the Temple that the memory thereof might continue for euer And thus by Gods speciall prouidence it came to passe that if not all yet most of the bookes of the Prophets were gathered and preserued and now as rich treasures are enioyed by vs wherein we haue the Sermons of the holy Prophets not so largely penned as they were preached but only such generall heads collected as were by them deliuered Now as before in the former Chapters so heere in this we haue some such Sermon notes preached by an excellent and incomparable Prophet by name Isaiah A man of noble birth and of as noble a spirit trace him and you shall still finde him like his noble selfe pithy powerfull and as Saint Paul witnesseth very bold in deliuering of his message fearing no cruelty nor danger albeit for his boldnesse he lost his life being by the commandement of Manasses sawne asunder with a woodden saw if Historie speakes true He was a Courtier and a Master of speech being saith one of the Antient the eloquentest Prophet for Hebrew in the Old Testament as Saint Paul was the elegantest Apostle for Greeke in the New To whose elegancies the rowlings of Demosthenes doe no more answer than that confused noise of waters doth to that sweet noise of Harpes spoken of in Saint Iohns Reuelation In all his writings he rather seemeth to be an Euangelist than a Prophet most liuely describing and setting forth the Natiuitie Preaching Persecution Apprehension Death Resurrection Ascension yea and latter comming to Iudgement of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ so that no Euangelist seemes to goe beyond him His Auditorie was Iudah and Ierusalem a stubborne and disobedient people more brutish than the Oxe and Asse whose sinnes were crimson receiuing a double dye or admitting a two-fold aggrauation one from Gods vnutterable kindnesse vnto them in nourishing bringing of them vp and choosing them for his The other from the qualitie and multitude of their transgressions against him whose sinnes were for number many for nature heauie To these is Isaiah Gods Health sent that he might heale their sicknesse with these he deales and first discouers their disease and then labours for their recouerie He proues that they are a sinfull nation a people full of iniquitie a seede of euill doers corrupt children whose whole head was sicke and whole heart heauie so that from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head there was no soundnesse but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores c. And that of a faithfull citie it was now become a harlot whose siluer was become drosse and wine mixt with water c. For all which Gods anger was conceiued against them and yet withall he signifies his mercy if it were receiued by them vsing his best Oratorie in Inuiting those that did rebell Inciting those that did neglect hastening those that did linger and recalling those that did wander to sue out their pardons and make peace with their Maker And thus he spends the foure fore-going Chapters All which to haue heard this Orator himselfe presse in his owne words and with his owne affections whose bowels would not haue yerned and heart melted within their breasts And yet ah Lord what heare I Israel is not gathered thy seruants report is not beleeued euen Isaiah himselfe labours
what good seruice it will doe The Lord God hath set it as his deputy in the brest of man which though it bee oftentimes a neuter when the act is doing and while sinne is a commiting yet afterwards it will proue a friend and faithfull witnesse for the Lord but an aduersary against man Oh that the wicked would thinke of this who sinne in hope of secrecie why who sees them who can witnesse any thing against them who can condemne them for such or such an action Alas poore soule There is a conscience within thee that sees thee and will condemne thee thy selfe shall passe sentence against thy selfe Now thou canst hide couer and cloake thy sinne and plead in the defense thereof but when God shall cite thy conscience to giue in euidence that shall bee as a thousand witnesses and condemne thee for thy most secret sinnes Though thou doe escape all apprehension and accusation in this world yet thy owne conscience will arrest thee and hale thee vnto iudgement And albeit thou escape mans iudgement yet the iudgement of thy owne conscience thou shalt neuer escape Neither thinke that what thou thy selfe knowest shall euer bee concealed thou art priuy to thy owne lewdnesse and knowest of thy drunkennesse adultery theft c. What art thou the better then in that no body else is priuy to them so long as thou hast a conscience within thee Neither thinke thou that because thy conscience is now asleepe or feared and benummed through a continuance in the custome of sinne that it will neuer be awakened or that this is nothing so For as the poize of a clocke being downe all motion ceaseth the wheeles stirre not but being would vp all is set on going So albeit now while thy conscience is downe there is no noise nor mouing in thy heart all is quiet yet when it is wound vp by the iustice of God as one day assuredly it shall it will set all the wheeles on working thy tongue to confesse and say guilty Lord guilty thy eies to weepe thy hands to wring thy voice to cry thy heart to ake and yet all in vaine Bee watchfull therefore and euer remember Conscience Beware of hypocrisie and secret sinnes for though thou canst hide them from men and Deuils yet not from it And looke thou neglect not the checks of conscience Doth it now checke thee and reproue thee for thy waies know the time commeth when that conscience which doth now checke thee shall iudge thee and condemne thee and that which doth now reproue thee shall hereafter torment thee in endlesse woe if thou repent not Secondly seeing this is so that Man shall iudge himselfe and iustifie the Lord then let it teach vs this point of wisdome to beginne betimes and now iudge our selues that we may not be iudged Selfe-condemning is an especiall meanes to preuent future condemnation and the more speedily we set vpon the worke the more mercifully will the Lord deale with vs. It is recorded of Edward the first sometimes King of this land that being crossed by a seruant of his in the sport of Hawking and further incensed by a sawcie answer which he made vnto the Kings threatnings telling him it was well there was a riuer betweene them spurd his horse into the depth of the riuer not without great danger of his life the water being deepe and the bankes too high and steepe for his ascending Yet at last recouering land pursues his seruant with his drawne sword The seruant finding himselfe too ill horsed to outride the King and seeing no way to escape his fury lights from his horse and on his knees exposed his necke to the blow of the Kings sword The King seeing this puts vp his sword and would not touch him Behold how humble submission and selfe-iudging soone pacifles him whom a dangerous water could not with-hold from violence Whiles men stand out against God iust fying themselues stubbornly flying from him he that rides vpon the wings of the winde posts after with the sword of vengeance drawne but when we condemne our selues and cast our selues downe at the foot of his mercie then will his wrath be soone appeased towards vs. Thirdly here we haue a patterne for our imitation and a coppy set to write after Let vs herein also be followers of God as deare Children and be so vpright and iust in our proceedings as that wee may dare to appeale to the consciences of our aduersaries for witnesse and testimonie of our innocency And as the Apostle willeth let vs approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Such was Dauids cariage towards Saul as that he was constrained twice to testifie of him Thou art more righteous than I. The innocencie of Shadrach Meshach and Abedaego caused Nebuchadnezzar to pronounce with his owne mouth they were the seruants of the high God Though Plinius Secundus be an enemie to Christians and a persecutor of them yet their holy and godly conuersation shall make him to certifie the Emperour his Master Traian that they are harmelesse persons Thus let thy life bee holy and innocent and then thou maist fetch a testimony from the conscience of the very enemie And as Dauid said sometimes to Micol obiecting vnto him that euen his owne seruants contemned him for his dancing before the Arke Of the seruants which thou hast spoken of of them shall I be had in honour So say I euen those wicked ones that outwardly traduce thee and reuile thee cannot but inwardly they must acquit thee and commend thee their heart and conscience shall speake for thee euen then when their tongue and lips doe speake against thee And when euer it shall please the Lord to set their consciences on the racke or to compasse them about with the snares of death then shall their tongue be constrained will they nill they to discouer what now lies hidden for the iustification of thy righteousnesse Then they crie out oh send for such a man or such a woman they will pray for me and doe me good and giue me comfort and doe we not see daily that they sooner trust for all their talke such as they terme Hypocrites Dissemblers and Precisians with their goods and with their children and with their portions yea and with their soules also before any other The last thing propounded to our consideration in this Appeale is the Parties betweene whom the variance is and they are the Lord and Israel God and his Vineyard God being the Plaintiffe and the whole body of the people euen all Israel and Iudah the Defendants As vnequally matched as euer were Earth and Heauen Strength and Weaknesse or the great Beemoth and the silliest worme that creepes in the chinkes and crannies of the earth God contends with man he that is excellent with them that are but dust who then is like to haue the day Betweene mee and my Vineyard And
desart without any to inhabit it And here we haue a higher degree than either of the former for though the enemie might ouercome them and spoile their country yet there might remaine some Citie and albeit some Cities might be assailed and destroyed yet some houses in those Cities might still continue Or say it should so fall out that all their Cities and houses in their Cities should be laid leuell with the ground yet some men might haply escape by flight and afterwards returne and build new houses Cities and erect new lawes and gouernment But in that he threatens to lay it waste and make it a desolation all hope is gone This is that which the Lord speaketh in the next chapter where he seemeth to comment vpon these words The Cities shall be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be vtterly desolate And the Lord will remoue men farre away and there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the land All which befell this people at their carrying away into Babylon and much more fully and compleatly was it fulfilled after Christs time when Ierusalem was vtterly destroyed so that one stone was not left vpon another To which time some referre it It shall not be pruned nor digged By cutting or pruning he seemeth to vnderstand fatherly discipline and correction which now he would with-hold from them according to that in the first of this prophesie Why should you be stricken any more As if he should haue said I see it is but lost labour to smite you for the more I correct you the worse you proue And by digging he vnderstandeth that point of husbandry whereby the earth is drawne into ridges or heapes chiefly about the vines which is so conuenient and necessarie in such places where vintages are as that without it the vines will neuer prosper And here hee alludeth vnto such husbandmen as hauing barren vineyards and fruitlesse trees doe neglect to prune or cut them dung or digge about them because they take no pleasure nor delight in them But there shall come vp briers and thornes By briers and thornes some here vnderstand the Gentiles according to that of our Sauiour Ierusalem shall be trodden downe of the Gentiles vntill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled But we may better vnderstand thereby Idolatry and superstition with other errors and abominations that for want of Gods husbandry should as afterwards there did grow vp amongst them And thus sinnes and transgressions are compared to thornes and briers elsewhere in Scripture And that fiâ—ly 1 For their wounding and pricking those that handle them for whom doth not sinne wound whom hath it not stung that euer dealt with it 2. For their holding together and twining one within another Sinnes grow in heapes and where you finde any you may finde many And therefore when the Apostle speakes of them hee couples them Chambering and wantonnesse gluttonie and drunkennesse strife and enuying thus they grow like thornes in hedges by companies 3. Because they choake the plants and hinder them from the Sunnes hear and influence of heauen thus the seed is choaked by these thornes as our Sauiour teacheth And therefore S. Peter willeth to lay aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisie and enuies and euill speakings those cursed thornes and briers and then As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word to grow thereby I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine vpon it By clouds vnderstand we the Prophets and by raine the Word The Metaphor is vsuall Moses thus begins his Song My doctrine shall drop as the raine my speech shall distill as the dew as the small raine vpon the tender herbe and as the showres vpon the grasse And so the word of the Lord came to Ezechiel and said Sonne of man set thy face towards Ierusalem and drop thy word towards the holy places and prophesie against the land of Israel And thus Amos speaketh to Amaziah Thou saiest Prophesie not against Israel and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac In which places it is apparant that Gods Prophets are as clouds and their words or prophesies like drops of raine Now in comparing the raine and the word we shall finde good resemblance in sundry particulars as 1. In regard of cooling heat 2. quenching thirst 3. cleansing the aire 4. allaying the windes 5. mollifying and mellowing the parched and heat-hardned earth In each one of which if wee should spend time we should finde an excellent agreement but especially in a sixth respect It is a principall meanes and subordinate cause that all things fructifie and grow And therefore this must needs be a heauy iudgement and argue Gods hot displeasure against his Vineyard in commanding the clouds to raine no more raine vpon it according to that charge giuen to Micah Prophesie ye not vnto them seeing that without it it was impossible the Vine should grow or flourish Thus we see that as by briers and thornes the Plants should be choaked so for want of raine their very roots should wither And thus much for the literall exposition Now to come to some particular obseruation And now goe to I will tell you This is the vsuall manner of Gods dealing To warne before he strikes and foretell the iudgement before he inflicteth it He punisheth none before he hath admonished them smiteth none before he hath forewarned them That of the Prophet Amos makes this good Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secrets vnto his seruants the Prophets He sendeth his Heralds to proclaime warre before he makes it and foretels them of such iudgements as he is purposed to inflict that they may forewarne others Take the old world my brethren for an ensample did hee not foretell the destruction of it vnto Noah before he brought that great Deluge vpon the earth And was not Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse vnto them whose hand taught them as much as his tongue His businesse in building the Arke was a reall Sermon to the world wherein at once were taught mercy and life to the belieuer and to the rebellious destruction And did he not the like by Sodome and Gomorrah vnto whom hee sent his seruant Lot whose righteous soule was vexed from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds Was not this likewise his dealing with Pharaoh and his people did he not againe and againe admonish them and threaten them by his seruants Moses and Aaron that if they would not let his people goe he would doe thus and thus vnto them And so with the Niniuites vnto whom he sent Ionah with this erie Yet fortie daies and Niniuie shall be ouerthrowne And with Ierusalem which was often forewarned by his Prophets and by our Lord himselfe of her destruction before it fell Two reasons may be rendered for this
body to pining their minde to repining their soule to Satan that they would fall to restoring because the sinne is retained vntill the gaines of Vsury be returned Which saying though it seeme hard yet it is most true And what though they should in so doing restore all they haue I would tell them as the Prophet did Amasiah The Lord is able to giue thee more than this A mansion in Gods kingdome is worth all thy cash But I speake to the belly that hath no eares Shew me the Vsurer except Zacheus that euer repented truly for as Humilitie is the repentance of Pride so is Restitution of this sinne I doubt not but there are some but they will be as daintie dishes in heauen as Venison is on a Plowmans table Wherefore I will forbeare any further dealing with these and rather speake in generall to all Oppressors of what kinde soeuer and so hasten to an end Let all such know as vse any kinde of iniustice vi or dolo by force or fraud against the poore and needie who are no way able to withstand them that they flay their skins off they grinde their faces yea eat their very flesh as sometimes that poore leane widow told Baldwin an Archbishop of Canterbury when she heard him boasting that he had neuer eat flesh in all his daies that he had eat vp hers in taking away her Cow whereby shee liued And let them call to minde the fearefull woes that are thundered out against them for this sinne There is a Woe from Isaiah a Woe from Ieremiah a Woe from Micah a Woe from Habbakkuk Woe and alas then that such can be secure Oh that such would now at length call themselues to account for their oppressions that some remorse might be wrought in their hearts if it were possible Such as these in former times haue beene executed as theeues are now amongst vs. Catillus a British King hung vp all oppressors of the poore And after him King Edward commonly called good King Edward banished such the Land And by the ancient Lawes of England the goods of oppressors dying without restitution were forfeit to the King and all his lands vnto the Lord of the Towne And it is apparant by the Canon-law that heretofore they haue beene denied Christian burial Were the same lawes still in force vndoubtedly it would be a good restraint And yet what is all this to expulsion out of Gods Kingdome Oh that these would bethinke them of that dreadfull day of reckoning and of that terrible sentence which shall be then denounced Depart you cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his angels There is the Reiection For I was an hungrie and you gaue mee no meat I was thirstie and you gaue me no dâ—inke I was a stranger and yee tooke me not in naked and yee clothed me not sicke and in prison and yee did not releeue mee There is a Reason of their Reiection Oh then how fearefull will their case be against whom the Iudge may thus proceed in sentence Depart from mee you cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his angels for I had meat and by force you tooke it from mee I had drinke and you spoiled mee of it I had a house and you thrust mee out of doores I had clothes and you pulled them from my backe I was in health and you made mee sicke I was at libertie and you imprisoned me For if by that sentence they be damned who haue not done the workes of mercie much more shall they be damned who haue acted the workes of crueltie If by that sentence they be damned who haue not succoured nor releeued the poore much more shall they be damned who haue oppressed and crushed the poore To winde vp all in a word and so to turne the vse from Reprehension to Exhortation Let no man from hence forth oppresse nor defraud his brother for the Lord is the auenger of all such things Let vs all so carry our selues as that with blessed Paul we may glory as he did We haue wronged no man wee haue consumed no man wee haue defrauded no man And so I leaue this which especially respects the Agent and come to what remaines which especially respects the Patient Behold a cry i. of the poore and needy of the fatherlesse and widow and such as were oppressed Here we see The cryes of the oppressed ascend vp into the Almighties eares He heares their groanes and beholds their grieuances The Lord told Moses as much when he called him to be the deliuerer of his people Israel I haue surely seene the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry by reason of their taske-masters for I know their sorrowes Now therefore behold the cry of the children of Israel is come vnto me and I haue also seene the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppresse them Afterwards when God forbad his people to oppresse the stranger fatherlesse and widow he addeth this as a reason I will surely heare their cry Iob auoucheth as much as I haue deliuered They cause the cry of the poore to come vnto him and he heareth the cry of the afflicted So doth the Psalmist The righteous cry when he is thus oppressed and God heareth him S. Iames likewise confirmeth it Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped downe your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the cares of the Lord of Sabbath And how can it be otherwise For marke our blessed Sauiours owne argument If importunate clamour preuaile with the vniust Iudge who neither regardeth man nor feareth God shall not God much more auenge his owne elect ones that cry day and night vnto him for the wrong that is done vnto them through the oppression of the mighty I tell you saith our Sauiour though he forbeare long yet at length he will doe it Dauid furnisheth vs with another Reason A father of the fatherlesse and a Iudge of the widow is God in his holy habitation These are his Clients he hath taken them into his protection he is become their Iudge and shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right This neerely concernes both oppressors and the oppressed As for oppressors they had need be well aduised what they doe for if they continue in their cruelty the poore must needs sigh and cry and God will heare them which if he doe he will cause their oppressors to heare of him He will iudge the fatherlesse and the oppressed that the man of earth may no more oppresse Or suppose that they themselues cry not but sit downe by it and thrust their mouthes in the dust swallowing their griefe with silence yea praying for them who persecute and oppresse them rather than putting vp
this to be the most honourable that they are the Seruants of Iesus Christ and therefore the two former set that first and then Apostles after What shall we say to Noah He was a Prince of the world and yet a Preacher of righteousnesse To Melchisedech who was King of Salem and yet a Priest vnto the Lord To Samuel a Iudge To Dauid a King and yet Prophets both And to wise Solomon his sonne before whom there was none like him neither after him shall euer any rise like vnto him who amongst all his titles and that in his wisest and best dayes did count this to be the most honourable to be called a Preacher And to the glorious Angels of heauen who haue not refused to be publishers of the glad tidings of peace And to Christ himselfe who though equall in glory with the Father disdained not the title of a Minister How then can it be thought a thing not beseeming the worth of any to be the Lords Prophet Besides these examples weigh the Reasons Such serue the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is higher than the highest greater than the greatest richer than the richest nobler than the noblest and can it be any disgrace to serue such a Master If it were such a noble priuiledge to be a subiect vnto Cesar And so happy a thing to be a seruant vnto Solomon How much greater is their priuiledge and how much happier are those seruants who serue such a Lord as doth at his pleasure pull downe one and set vp another vpon the throne Such are employed about that worke which is the highest holiest the heauenliest and greatest of all other workes viz. the saluation of mens soules By Ministers God worketh saith by them he conuerts by them he comforteth sanctifieth saueth By them he declareth to men their righteousnesse preacheth repentance free forgiuenesse and perfect saluation to all that truly beleeue in Iesus Christ In which respect saith Iob A good Minister is one of a thousand A good Lawyer may be one of ten A good Physitian one of twenty A good man one of a hundred But saith a Reuerend Diuine a good Minister exceeds all for he is one of a thousand A good Lawyer may declare vnto thee the true state of thy cause A good Physitian may declare vnto thee the true state of thy bodie But no man can declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse but a true and faithfull Minister The Lawyer then in caring for thy cause and the Physitian in caring for thy bodie are both inferiour to the Minister who careth for thy soules saluation No maruell then if the Apostle requires that they should be esteemed highly euen for their workes sake Such shall haue the greatest wages of any other for They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament but they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starres for euer and euer All good men shall haue glory yea great glory They shall shine as the firmament But such as labour in the word and doctrine shall shine and that with no ordinarie glory but as the starres which haue a brighter glory than the firmament Seeing then the Master which they serue is the highest The worke which they doe is the holiest The wages which they haue is the greatest It may beseeme the worth of any to be the Lords Prophet How guilty then are such as thinke basely of so honourable an office and function as the Ministerie is Oh cursed times wherein prophane liuers doe account no mens persons no mens callings so base and vile as ours The name it selfe of Priest and Minister by such is cast in our faces as termes of infamie and reproach and vsed no otherwise amongst vs than the name of Christian is amongst the Barbarians in Russia by way of disgrace And the very weed and garment of a Minister is enough to procure contempt though otherwise he himselfe be free enough from all contempt This is one of the blots of this our Nation that a Minister is seldome spoken of but with diminution And the simplest in a multitude though he be not able to giue the meaning of one petition in the Lords prayer yet hath eloquence enough to disgrace their persons and their callings A horrible confusion it was that was foretold by this our Prophet which should come on Israel The childe should behaue himselfe proudly against the Ancient and the base against the honourable Who sees not that this confusion is befallen this generation Who almost so vile but thinks himselfe a better man than the ablest Minister What Gentleman so meane but thinks his childe too good for this Priestly trade Yea his whole house disgraced his bloud and familie disparaged if either his daughter be matched with a Preacher or his sonne entred into that calling But be it knowne vnto thee who thus basely iudgest That God hath honoured the poorest Minister farre aboue thy selfe and taken him to serue at his owne table when he hath reiected thee and thy fathers house Be not then any more so much deceiued as to thinke the calling of the Ministerie to be base and beggerly and not meet for any but the poore to liue by fit only for the lame and such as are disfigured for younger brothers blunt-headed schollers and such as are good for no Trade else when Princes Peeres and Nobles and such as haue beene of the royall bloud haue held it as an honour to be employed in the seruice of the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar would haue only such to wait vpon him as were of the Kings stocke and comely witty and euery way well qualified both for lineaments of body and ornaments of minde none of the refuse must come into his presence And shall they that come before the Lord to administer in his presence be the scum and off-scowring of the people What is this but to serue the Lord with the blinde and lame which he abhorres Certainly this dishonour of the Ministerie threatneth the departure of the word and therefore let vs pray hard that this sinne of contempt and base esteeme of Gods Ministers and their callings may not be laid vnto our charge And so to fall from reprouing to perswading and exhorting let euery one beware how they refuse or reiect the Ministerie as thinking themselues their friends or children too high for it and it too low for them No man may be thought to be too good to serue God at his Altar and to administer at his Table If any so thinke he deceiueth himselfe and ouer-valueth his owne condition Amongst the Iewes the Priests were sometimes matched into the bloud Royall Numa Pompilius would be a Priest amongst the Romanes And the Aegyptians chose their Kings from amongst their Priests and shall we then thinke basely of them our fore-fathers counted it an honour to haue one of their children an Abbot or a
Bishop in which callings then they liued like Epicures hauing nothing of a good Christian saue the title only Yea Princes of this Land haue renounced their Crownes and Kingdomes and entered into Monasteries and haue put their sonnes and daughters into Cloysters Shall not these condemne vs Nay will not the very heathen rise vp one day in iudgement against vs who haue giuen their sonnes for sacrifice vnto their Idols and caused them to passe through the fire thinking them not too deare to be offered to their gods Let vs looke on these and be ashamed of our selues For certainly the best and noblest amongst the sonnes of men are a thousand-fold more vnfit for that high place than that calling is or can be thought vnworthy of them And as for such as are already called to this high place let all beware of despising of them It is the Apostles rule that they which rule well should haue double honour First honour of countenance and then of maintenance one of these is not enough without the other for it must be double Beautifull are the feet saith this our Prophet Isaiah of them that bring good tidings that publisheth saluation c. If their feet be beautifull how beautifull should their face be who should be so welcome to vs as these who more esteemed or reuerenced Remember how the Lord hath euery way endeuoured to make them so as by giuing them titles of highest respect as Embassadors for Christ and Messengers for the Lord of Hoasts Fathers the first title of honour that was in the world Angels which are the noblest of the creatures Besides he hath giuen them wonderfull authoritie He hath put the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen into their hands to open and to shut Power to remit and retaine sinnes Thus the Lord is pleased to ratifie their regular proceedings in the Court of Heauen Likewise he hath giuen them extraordinary gifts aboue the common rate as Knowledge Experience Comfort and the like Is it safe despising these whom God hath thus highly dignified A last vse may be for comfort vnto vs who wait at Gods Altar Let vs count it our honour to be called hereunto and preferre it before all other callings whatsoeuer not giuing way to any thoughts of discontentment in respect of the many ignominies or persecutions that we daily doe or are like to vndergoe so as to be grieued at the Lords leading of vs to so toilesome and in mans iudgement disgracefull a vocation or to be moued to leaue and giue ouer our function in that respect As sometimes that Cardinall of Loraine did who after he had preached once vnto the people and was therefore derided by the Prelates of his Order left off vtterly the Office of preaching as a calling too base for his Cardinals Hat-ship Let this be farre from vs. If we doe our duty the world will hate vs True But if we doe it not God will curse vs By the first we are in danger to lose our goods our names our liues by the second our soule our heauen our God Now whether it be better to pelase God or man iudge ye Let euery Minister therefore doe his dutie and albeit most in the world contemne vs yet we shall finde some in the world who are not of the world that will reuerence and respect vs. So long as the widow of Sarepta hath any oile we shall not want Howeuer though here we haue troubles to weary vs yet in the end we shall haue heauens ioy to refresh and comfort vs. It is enough we haue deserued our worke shall haue a reward And thus much for the first particular to be considered in this Preface the second followes And that is the nature and kinde of the Treatise indited and is A Song or Poem And here occasion is offered to speake somewhat in the defence of Poetric and Verse The Position is Poesie and Poetrie is an Art and exercise ancient lawfull and praise-worthy The practises of the seruants of God make this good Moses that man of God was excellent herein as appeareth by that same Canticle which he made in commemoration of Gods goodnesse for his peoples deliuerance out of Egypt and for the destruction of their enemies which Song is held to be the most ancient Song that euer was I am sure it is that we reade of in Scripture and is thought to be first composed in Hexameter verse though it is not certaine For it is no easie matter to finde out the Scansion of verse vsed amongst the Hebrewes such was the varietie of their Measures As also by that which he made a little before his death which he commanded should be taught the Children of Israel yea the text saith he himselfe wrote it and taught it them Thus Deborah and Barak also composed a Song and sang it to the Lord. So Dauid that same sweet singer of Israel had an excellent gift this way as is euident by that same funerall Song or Epitaph which he made for Saul and Ionathan after their deaths Besides diuers Odes and Hymnes which he composed to the honour of God in various kindes of Verse This likewise was the practise of Christians in the Primitiue Church as Eusebius reporteth out of Philo Iudaeus They contemplate saith he not only diuine things but they make graue Canticles and Hymnes vnto God in a more sacred ryme of euery kinde of metre and verse If any doubt remaine notwithstanding what hath beene shewed of the truth of our propounded point let then this be considered of how Verse is the forme of speech which it hath pleased that wise and all-knowing Spirit to choose to reueale a great part of his reuealed will in for besides those speciall Psalmes and Canticles before mentioned there are sundry parts and bookes of holy Scripture Poetically pend as the booke of Iob the booke of the Psalmes the booke of the Prouerbs with Solomons Ecclesiastes and Canticles as the most learned Fathers of the Church haue testified And many other parcels of holy Scripture which we haue meerely translated into Prose are Verse in the Originall This me thinkes should put all out of doubt For who can be so irreligious as to think or imagine that the Holy Ghost would euer haue vsed any vndecent or vnlawfull manner of expression of his holy Mysteries and cause vs to giue credence to this truth viz. Poetrie and Poesie is an Art and exercise lawfull and praise-worthy The commendable properties of which Art appeare in these two ancient Verses Metra parant animos Comprêndunt plurima paucis Aures delectant pristina commemorant Which I finde by one thus Englished to my hand Verse doth the soule prepare and much in briefe affords It rauisheth the eare and things long past records There is Ryme Reason or Reason for Ryme First it prepares fits the soule for holy duties
befall according to our doctrine deliuered Secondly The Deuill is more forward and readie to doe euill than any Witch can be for he is like a roaring Lion going about seeking whom he may deuoure and like a red or fiery Dragon burning in malice against Gods Church and people so that hee needs not to be stirred vp or sent by a Witch hee being so forward and watchfull of himselfe to doe mischiefe Whence it followes there is no more nor lesse hurt done than would be done if there were no Witches for as the Deuill can doe nothing to hurt the poorest creature before he haue power granted vnto him from the Lord so when he is permitted and hath his power granted he is not so sottish as not to execute his power except some Witch doe send him true it is if he can he will doe it as intreated and sent by Witches so cunning and craftie is hee that hee may doe the more harme vsing them but for a colour to drawon worser matters Thirdly the Deuill is the commander the Witch is but his drudge and seruant He is the god of this world and ruleth with power in the hearts of the children of disobedience shee is but his slaue and subiect to serue him and not command him and vsing her as his instrument hee wholly directeth her heart vnto the wickednesse And therefore whereas there be many naturall causes in the bodies of men and beasts of tortures lamenesse and of death it selfe which though the learnedst and most expert Physitian cannot espie yet hee can see and know and can coniecture very neere the time when they will take effect he plyeth it with the Witch and enflameth her minde with malice and moueth her to send him against that partie vpon which sending the man or beast suddenly and strangely are tormented fall lame and die and then hee telleth her that he did it vpon her sending and command when indeed shee obeyeth him being led by his suggestion and not he her The like is his practise when God giues him libertie to strike with bodily plagues any of the godly for the triall of their faith and patience hee couets if hee can to bring it thus about So that wee see shee is but his drudge and not he her seruant Let vs not then bee so deluded by this deceiuer neither stand in feare of any witch or sorcerer but of God alone for neither one or other can any way molest or hurt vs vntill God please to giue way and suffer them For a second vse seeing none can hurt vs vntill God giue way let this serue for Admonition vnto vs all that would liue in safety that we keepe in with God for if he be our friend what need wee care who be our enemies If he be with vs who can be against vs Be then of Dauids resolution to make God thy shield and buckler thy refuge and thy fortresse and thus being in Dauids taking thou maiest be in Dauids tune The Lord is my light and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid I will not bee afraid of ten thousands of people that haue set themselues against me round about Though an hoast should encampe against me my heart shall not be troubled though warre should rise against me in this I will be confident For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pauilion in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me hee shall set mee vp vpon a rocke I end this vse as Dauid ends that Psalme Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Thirdly this may serue to daunt the hearts and proud spirits of the wicked who insult ouer the godly because they are so few so meane so simple and so weake and pride themselues oftentimes in the conceit of their owne geeatnesse power policy and malicious intendments against the godly But these grosly deceiue themselues for let them know their rage and power is limited by the Lord so that they cannot doe what they list but what God will they cannot execute what they please but what pleaseth him Let Atheists Papists and all other prophane persons desist from deuising euill against Gods Sion A Prophet of their owne side will teach them it is in vaine to curse whom God hath blessed Lastly as Noahs Doue brought in her mouth an oliue leafe so doth this doctrine bring with it tidings of peace and comfort to such as are in Christ For if it be so that man cannot hurt vntill God giue way then Let all those that put their trust in thee reioice let them euer shout for ioy because thou defendest them let them also that loue thy name bee ioyfull in thee For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous with fauour wilt thou compasse him as with a shield What the Apostle speakes in case of damnation may bee spoken also in case of danger There is none vnto them They are alike safe in euery place euen in the midst of their mortall enemies as amongst their kindest friends and so likewise at all seasons for whereas the wicked who are without God are like a bird without a nest or a beast without a den liable to any storme that ariseth and danger that befals yet it is otherwise with the godly they know whither to goe to bee hid from the strife of tongues and violence of Tyrants Gods fauour ioyned with his mighty power and faithfulnesse is a strong tower thither the righteous runne and are exalted which fort and castle of defence is euery where and no time is vnseasonable to repaire vnto it no place an impediment to hinder them from it no bodily weaknesse can disable them of it their iourney may be vndertaken at midnight as well as at mid-day and they may runne apace as they sit in their houses or lie in their beds and the feeblest creeple may make as good speed as the swiftest footman the wals thereof can no enemy scale the forts thereof can no aduersary batter well may our enemies assault vs but no multitude nor power can preuaile against vs because he that is with vs is stronger than they that are against vs so that the flouds of great waters can neuer come nigh vs. Oh the security and felicity of the faithfull maruellous great it is who haue such a tower to flie vnto and such a shield to couer and compasse them round about as is impenetrable no sword no dart nor shot can possibly strike them vntill it pierce him so fenced are they in their goods in their cattell and in all that belongs vnto them that no wicked spirit by any art can come neere to touch them without a speciall commission from the Almighty When Philip King of Macedon had slept a sound sleepe and at length
waking spying Antipater by him he vsed these words as the story saith No maruell I slept so soundly seeing Antipater was by and watched It would not haue fallen out so well with this Land in generall and many no nor any of vs in particular had not this Ante-pater our gracious Father who was before all worlds beene our mercifull keeper In 88. fierce enemies intended the inuasion of this Land but they were foiled and England triumphed for the Lord of Hoasts was our defender Many enterprises haue beene vndertaken against our most gracious Soueraigne especially that hellish attempt of popish monsters in that infernall Powder-plot yet King Iames is waked and long may he wake for Ante-pater stood by and watched O still stand by and watch but as for his enemies they are executed as traitors and haue slept their last And so lot them perish oh Lord. But doe wee not see how the godly are wronged spoiled yea and sometimes killed by their aduersaries True yet this commeth not to passe through the force of their aduersaries might but by the will and permission of the Lord neither doth hee suffer it to satisfie their foes but to increase their felicity and for their good For it is with the godly as with the beast in the field which is safer in a storme than in the fairest seasons the storme driueth him to his den and harbour but when it is ouer hee commeth forth and is in danger to bee taken of the hunter Thus in trouble the godly flie vnto the clefts of their Rocke and get vnder the wing of their Protector but when troubles are ouer they are in greater danger to be ensnared Wee know raine and thunder are many times better for corne and grasse than faire sunne-shine so here Againe God hath promised not to defend vs from troubles but preserue vs in troubles Our Feare shall be taken away not our Fight And so though we be persecuted yet we be not forsaken though slaine yet not ouercome nay when we seeme to be ouercome then doe we ouercome our enemies Though we beare away the blowes and are slaine by them yet God still preserues vs and we obtaine a noble victorie Excellent was that speech which sometimes Anaxarchus vsed when as Nicocreon the tyrant commanded he should be beaten to death in a morter Beat and bray said he to the executioner as long as thou wilt Anaxarchus his sachell meaning his body but Anaxarchus thou canst not touch Thus are the godly preserued by God who putteth his right hand vnder their heads and giues them grace sufficient proportioning their strength to the burden mitigating their sorrowes making them possesse their soules in patience yea to reioyce in their tribulation as appeareth not only in the examples of the Apostles in the Acts but also by the practise of some in our owne Nation in the time of persecution as Glouer Farrar Hawkes with diuers other the later of which three being desired by some of his godly friends to giue some token when hee was in the flames whether the paine were tolerable or no for their further confirmation after his eies were started out of his head his fingers consumed with the fire and when euery one thought him dead and did expect the fall of his body suddenly lifts vp his stumps and thrice as a famous conquerer claps them ouer his head in token of victory Thus the faithfull famously conquer when they seeme to be conquered by their enemies I remember what one saith of S. Laurence his patience and constancy when hee was broiled on the gridiron That God was more glorified by it than if hee had saued his body from burning by a miracle So vndoubtedly it is as much for Gods glory to preserue vs in our suffering as to preserue vs altogether from suffering Thus then we see that our enemies could not so farre preuaile did not God permit them neither would he suffer them so farre to preuaile did it any way tend to his dishonour or our dammage Our God is omnipotent doing what he will and suffering no resistance in that he will not so that only he which can ouercome him can hurt vs. That godly gloriation then which the Apostle vseth against the enemies of our soules may fitly be vsed by vs against the enemies of our bodies What shall we then say to these things If God be for vs who can be against vs And then a little after Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loued vs. Thus as if all these had been but flea-bitings he doth triumph ouer them And then in a straine beyond all admiration hee goeth on thus For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If then we be Gods though Satan and sinners would yet they can doe nothing against vs that shall be for our hurt and though God himselfe can yet he will doe nothing to vs that shall not turne to our endlesse and euerlasting good Further in that it is said The wall shall not only be broken but that it shall likewise be trodden downe we may see as in a glasse the beastly and brutish disposition of the enemies of the Church No beast of the field doth shew it selfe more raging or rauenous than doe the wicked when God suffers them to breake into his Vineyard for the afflicting of it Looke as it is with beasts who doe not only eat and deuoure but tread downe and spoile when they come into good pastures more than they eat so is it with them and therefore Scripture giues them names agreeing with their natues they are called Fowlers Hunters Canibals and men-eaters They are also named Lions and this was Neroes stile who was the first that stained his sword with the bloud of Christians as Eusebius sheweth in his Ecclesiasticall Historie They are likewise called Boares The Boare out of the wood doth waste it and Buls yea strong buls of Bashan They are also compared to Vnicornes Beares Leopards Dragons Serpents Aspes Adders and they haue their hornes tusks teeth talants mouthes iawes pawes checkbones giuen to them These names they haue made good in all ages If we should view the Scriptures or reade ouer the Histories of the Primitiue Church we should finde plenty of examples for the confirming hereof Such and so great cruelty hath beene practised by them towards Gods people that as Eusebius affirmeth it farre exceedeth the credit of any relation If we come to our owne times we shall not want