past to try vs and seek the ground of our hearts Psal 139.23 proue and know our thoughts consider if there be any wickednesse in vs rid vs out of it and lead vs in the true way that bringeth to the true life wee beg these things and whatsoeuer thou knowest needfull for vs and thy holy Church in his name and for his sake which is the way the truth and the life saying as he hath taught vs Our father which art in heauen c. Chap. When these or any other that haue offended as who hath not haue made these or the like prayers confessing their sinnes with true sorrow of heart what shall they take to comfort their hearts againe if you haue no softer salt I must seeke further for I feare this salt will nothing but fret them Salt There are diuers sorts of Salt to be had at Bible-Spring some is sharp that â—â—rueth to consume grosse humors some is more milde hath vertue to heale wounds but because some Physitions setting down what is good for the heart say maces is best of all Hospit p. 42. Cant. 2.5 and the Spowse in the Canticles desireth to bee comforted with apples you may call that which I shall now deliuer vnto you apples or maces or wine and milke as the Prophet Esay calleth that which hee deliuereth where he maketh his cry saying Ho euery one that is thirsty come yee to the waters Esay 55.12 and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money Chap. If men must not pay money for this milke and wine with what must they buy it Salt He telleth them in the second and third verses saying Hearken diligently vnto mee and eate that which is good let your soule delight in fatnesse incline your eares and come vnto mee heare and your soule shall liue Chap. It should seeme by his calling for hearing and eating with delight that it is the word of God or some other spirituall gift which is there meant by waters wine milke and fatnesse Salt Some by waters vnderstand the waters of grace in this present life Nicola dâ—lyra and of glory in the heauenly Citty to bee giuen by Christ himselfe according as hee himselfe saith Hee which shall drinke of the waters which I shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst â—oh 4.14 but the water which I shal giue him shall be in him a fountaine of water springing vp to eternall life By wine and milke the same writer vnderstandeth the good things of grace and glory Benagr glâ—â— and by fatnesse the fatnesse of grace likewise Chap. Well let me haue some of this spirituall nourishing wine and milke or whatsoeuer you list to call it Salt Yee shall and first I will beginne where the aforesaid Prophet made his cry Seeke the Lord while he may bee found Esay 55.6 call yee vpon him while he is neere â— Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations returne vnto the Lord and he wil haue mercy vpon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgiue My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name 〈◊〉 103.8 â— My soule praise thou the Lord forget not all his benefits 5 Which forgiueth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities 6 Which redeemeth the life froÌ„ the graue and crowneth thee with mercy and compassion 8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse 9 He will not alwaies chide neither keepe his anger for euer hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities 18 The louing kindnesse of the Lord indureth for euer euer vpon them that feare him c. think vpon his commandements to do them Chap. Yea but these for whom I come haue not feared the Lord nor made any reckoning of his commandements Salt This which I deliuer vnto you now as Apples for comfort is to bee set before them when as I said they are well seasoned with the salt of the law containing a fearefull curse against all the trangressors of the same and so beeing brought vnto a feeling of their sinne are entred into the feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome Pro. 9.10 Chap. Then belike those which feare not God how wise soeuer they seeme to themselues haue not trodden one step in the path of true wisedome Salt No doubt of that Chap. On then Salt Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Mich. 7 18. hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him He will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea When the wicked turneth away from his wickednesse that hee hath committed Ezek. 18.28 and doth that which is lawfull and right he shal saue his soule aliue 28 Because hee considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that hee hath committed hee shall surely liue and not die 32 I desire not the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God cause therefore one another to returne and liue ye Shee shall bring forth a sonne Mat. 1.11 and thou shall call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes And loe a voyce came from heauen saying 3.17 this is my beloued sonne in whom I am â—ell pleased I am not come to call the righteous 9.13 but â—â—nners to repentance Saint Paul saith this is a true saying Tim 1.15 â—y all meanes worthy to bee reciued that â—esus Christ came into the world to saue â—â—nners Come vnto me all ye that are laden meaâ—ing with the burthen of their sinnes and will ease you Mat. 11.28 Likewise Luk. 15.10 I say vnto you there is ioy in â—e presence of the Angels of God for one â—â—nner that repenteth 31 It was meete that we should make merry be glad for this thy brother was dead â—s aliue againe and hee was lost but hee is â—ound As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wilâ—ernesse Ioh. 3 14. so must the Sonne of man bee lift â—p that whosoeuer beleeueth in him â—hould not perish but haue euerlasting life We beleeue saith Saint Peter through â—he grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to bee â—aued euen as they do Acts 14 11. And it was the same Peter that said Acts 10.43 To â—im giue all the Prophets witnesse that â—hrough his name all that beleeue in him â—hall receiue remission of sinnes Chap. Are those then that beleeue in Christ pardoned and saued whether they feare God or feare him not whether they serue sinne or righteousnesse Salt What friend Chapman dost thou thinke
Colos 2. If you will haue mee to reach further then this I must craue pardon and pray you to go to such as haue longer armes then I That hee descended into hell is an Article of our faith and I beleeue it though it be not in the Nicene Creed Tract Is not Christ he that entred into the strong mans house bound him and spoiled him Guid. Yes or else not onely the poore man that was possest might haue remained blind and dumbe to his dying day but he all of vs had bene spoyled for euer Tract Others besides Christ did cast out diuels Guid. They did so but it was in the name of Christ which was the stronger happy are they out of whom this stronger power by the finger of God euen by the working of the holy Ghost casteth out that Diuell that maketh them so blind that they cannot see the way to saluation by a liuely faith in Christ his merits and so dumb that they cannot open their mouth with Paul Ephe 2.8 to say By grace yee are saued through faith and that not of your selues It is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Mad. I remember those words in the second to the Ephesians ver 10. where though hee teacheth them the wee are created vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wée should walk in theÌ„ yet he saith we are saued by grace so forth as you haue rehearsed Rom. What do you talke now of faith and workes my cozen spake of descending into hell answere him to his question Did not Christ bind the strong man that is the diuell in his owne house which is hell Guid. After the diuell entred into Iudas where was his house then Tract He was there as a guest for a time but his dwelling house is hell what is your answere Gui. Besides that which I haue said already Guid. I answere first that this is a matter in controuersie among learned men whose bookes are extant there you may sée this sifted to the vtmost Secondly this I thinke a man may say without offence that as hee was able to heale the Centurions seruant though hee entred not into his house So could he make hell know that he had the key of it though his soule did not take it in his way from the crosse to Paradise Tract It is a greater matter to binde the Diuell to locke him fast and in triumph to carry away the keies of death and hel then to heale a sicke man though hee were at deaths dore Guid. As with God there is great mercy to pardon the great sinnes of such as be greatly grieued for them hauing their repentance seasoned with the Salt of faith to keepe them from desperation which salt was not in Caine and Iâ—â—das So no doubt there is such a mighty power in this Michael Reu. 12.7 as he is able to vanquish the stoutest Dragon be his force and power neuer so great I reade of a battell in heauen but none in hell The Diuine power can binde shut vp Sathan by such a descending as we are not able to expresse For my part I beleeue that Article touching his descending into hell though the manner how be not set downe in the Creed Tract That battel betwixt Michael and the Dragon may be said to bee in heauen in respect of the Church Militant who though she be on earth hath her conuersation with her Captaine Christ in heauen A strong man is not bound and spoyled without great strngling a stronger power wrestled with him and ouercame him Mat. 12.29 and his binding and spoyling is said to be in the strong mans house and what is that but hell Guid. I deny not the binding neither do I stand vpon the place but this I obserue that though it be said in the Apostles Creed and in Athanasius his Creed Aug. de simb ad catherum lâ— 3 aâ— side simb oa 5. in sol 1 3. Hee descended into hell Yet they shew not the manner how and you know the Nicene Crede hath not these words Augustine diuers times speaketh of Christ his death buriall and resurrection omitting the descension but howsoeuer that descending is to be taken or wheresoeuer that binding was this is certaine Col 2 14 15 Rollocke that Saint Paul hath these words Putting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrary to vs hee euen tooke it out of the way and fastned it vpon the crosse and spoyled the Principalities and powers hath made a shew of theÌ„ openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same Tract I know wherefore you bring this place euen to proue that wheresoeuer those powers were spoyled yer the shew and triumph was open But how do you interpret those words putting out the hand-writing c. Some of the learned intrepret them thus The ceremonies and rites were as it were a publicke profession and hand-writing of the miserable state of mankind for circumcision declared our naturall pollution the purifyings washings signified the filth of sinne the sacrifices testified that we were guilty of death which were all taken away by Christs death Mad. Maister Guid-well you and Maister Tractable may talke of these matters another time let vs spend this time about that we came for Rom. That is to perswade me to come to your Church vnto the which if I should come you thinke my beeing there would make me to be of your minde I haue heard that all which come to your Churches bee not faithfull zealous and honestalike they differ much in many things Sith God is said to bee no accepter of persons Can you shew any reason why his word or his grace worketh not in all alike Guid. I remember Saint Augustine vnto some such question hath this answere Si gratiae illuminatione sensus tuus Aug. contra Delag â—ypon nost lib. 3. heraetice a tenebris insipientiae esset detectus c. If thy vnderstanding O hereticke by the inlightning of grace were detected from the darknesse of foolishnesse thou wouldst beléeue those diuine testimonies which I spake before or other innumerable found in holy Scriptures not yet cited by mee that God to no merits of man doth giue his grace by which he sheweth himselfe vnto them to bring them to beléeue in him and to serue him and thou wouldst not enquire yea thou wouldst discusse why hee worketh not that in all which alwaies well and iustly worketh all things that hee will and no man resisteth his will for which he hath done all things that he would therefore I would not haue thée to aske mee Metuentem trementem iudicia eius inscrutabilia incomprehensibilia Fearing trembling at his vnsearcheable incomprehensible iudgements why he worketh this to one and not to another because that which I read I beleeued reuerenced without any discussing For what man is there that will reason with God
saued for I am God and there is none other Woe vnto them for they haue fled away from me Hosea 7.13 destruction shal be vnto them because they haue transgressed against mee though I haue redeemed theÌ„ yet they haue spoken lies against me God is very greatly to bee feared Palme 89.7 in the â—ounsell of the Saints and to be had in reâ—erence of all them that are about him â— O Lord God of hostes who is like vnto â—hee thy truth most mighty Lord is on eueâ—y side O Lord the hope of Israell all that forâ—ake thee shall be confounded they that deâ—art from thee shall be written in the earth â—ecause they haue forsaken the Lord the founâ—aine of liuing waters Chap. This Salt is fit for such as fal away â—rom God Salt If they bee confounded that fall â—rom God then there is a God and the same 〈◊〉 terrible God to such as forsake him Chap. Go on then Salt Their words haue beene stout aâ—ainst me saith the Lord Mal. 3.13 yet yee say what â—aue wee spoken against thee â—â— Yee haue said it is in vaine to serue God â—nd what profit is it that wee haue kept his â—ommandements and that we walked humâ—ly before the Lord of Hostes This first vnderstand that there shal come â—n the last dayes mockers which will walke â—fter their lusts 2. Peâ— 3.3 And say where is the promise of his â—omming for since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning Thou beléeuest that there is one God the dost wel the diuels also beleeue it and tremble whereby wee learne that they which beleeue not so much are worse then diuels Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of Saints Iud. 14.15 to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly amongst them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him God will bring euery worke to iudgement â—ccle 13.14 and euery secret thing whether it be good or euill The Lord will try the righteous Psalme 11.5 but the wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate 6 Vpon the wicked hee shall raine snares fire and brimstone and stormy tempest this is their portions of the cups In flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that do not feare God â— Thes 1.8 Chap. If any of this biting salt or the like should moue either the Atheist which saith in his heart there is no God or the Epicure which denieth his prouidence or any of the wicked to come into the Church and there by hearing of Gods iudgements thundred out against them begin to tremble and quake is there any softer salt or any ware to bee had at Bible-Spring that may serue to keepe them from dispairing Salt When by preaching of the word and feruent prayers of the righteous which as Saint Iames saith auaileth much they bee brought to a true feeling of their sinnes and through the grace of God which is giuen to the humble haue that godly sorrow that causeth repentance not â—o be repented of and some measure of a sound faith in our Sauiour Iesus Christ in whose name for that he is the mediator betweene God and man we ought to pray when I say they are thus farre reformed let them either publickely confesse their sinne in such sort as authority shall appoint or else priuately say these or the like words O Lord God which art great and fearefull A prayer and keepest couenant and mercy towards them that loue thee and keep thy commandements Dan. â— wee haue sinned and haue committed iniquity and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy precepts and from thy iudgments O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame O our God wee are confounded and ashamed to lift vp our eyes to thee our God Ezra 9.6 Psalme 51. for our iniquities are increaâ—ed ouer our head and our trespasse is growne vp into the heauen create in vs cleane hearts o God wash vs thereby from our iniquities cast vs not away from thy presence Turne thou vs vnto thee O Lord and we shall bee turned Lame 5.21 Hosea 14 2. Psal 32 5.6 7 take away all our iniquity and saue vs graciously O Lord we doe finde in thy word which is written for our learning that thy seruant Dauid confessed his sinnes vnto thee and thou forgauest him and that euery one that is godly maketh his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maist bee found and that as a father pittieth his owne children so thou art mercifull vnto them that feare thee Psa 103.13.145.18 and thou art neere to all them that call vpon thee faithfully we pray thee therefore for Iesus Christ his sake to heare vs now with sorrowfull hearts confessing our Epicurisme Atheisme our grosse impiety wicked infidelity wherby we became worse theÌ„ the diuels for they beleeue there is a God and tremble but wee fâ—ared no God at all we were so led by our owne lust and so followed the fashions of the world that wee had no minde to call vpon thee but forsaking thee and thy word to keepe company with the wicked wee were defiled in their pitch corrupted in their wayes and sate downe in the scornefull seate wherein wee so oft and so offensiuely scoft at al Religion and all shew of deuotion that now through thy great mercy hauing some feeling of the burthen of our sins we do wonder that we with our houses haue not long since felt that fearefull fiery vengeance which Sodom and Gomorah felt or that hell did not swallow vs vp quicke as the earth did Corah and his company Num. â—6 â—2 O Lord what haue they done that we haue not done we know not what to say but that thy iustice appeareth in destroying them and thy vnspeakeable mercy is shewed in sparing vs which sparing of vs beeing now through thy grace for which we giue thee praise so sensibly felt doth put vs in hope that as thou hast begunne to worke a new birth in vs so thou wilt sanctifie vs more and more with thy holy spirit and neuer leaue vs till by the fruits of a sound faith thou doe assure vs we are effectually called and so are of the number of those that bee elected in Christ to eternall life Wherefore wee pray thee deere father sithence of thy goodnes thou shast taught vs and we haue learned not only that there is a God but also that thou which art immortall inuisible and onely wise art the onely true God whom wee ought to feare and in whom wee must beleeue and that thou art about our path about our bed spiest out al our waies knowest all our words as being so resident euery where by thy spirit that wee can goe no where from thy presence we pray thee haue mercy vpon vs to forgiue vs all that is
Salomon which saith My sonne Prou. 24.21 feare the Lord and the King â—nd meddle not with them that are seditiâ—us And S Peter also after these words 1. Pet. 2.17 Honour all men loue brotherly felowship â—aith Feare God honor the King whereâ—y hee teacheth vs that though wee owe a â—inde of honour to all men yet the King is to be honoured aboue all the rest this being so I may safely conclude that the King is to be obeyed in the Lord who commandeth vs to honour him The fifth Commandement also biddeth vs honour Father and Mother Now that stretcheth to the King which is a father to the country as a father then thinketh himselfe not to bee honoured if his sonne obey him not which made Salomon say Prou. 6.20 My sonne keepe thy fathers commaundements And Saint Paul Ephes 6.1 Children obey your parents in the Lord So a King doth not thinke himselfe honoured of those that frame not themselues to obey him in the Lord. To command to goe to Church to heare Gods word to pray to him to praise him to shew forth the Lords death c. is to command in the Lord if then in this and the like wee stubbornely disobey him wee giue him not the honour due vnto him to finde fault with translations and to say we are cut off from the head are stumbling-blockes of their owne laying for our tranâ—â—slations which we haue already dare shew their faces in any place in the world wherâ— their old Latine vulgar edition dare and sâ— long as the Apostle Paul teacheth Thaâ— Christ is the head of the Church Eph. 5.23 Contra Crescomum lib. 3. cap. 5. Dixâ—plane dâ—â—o ibid. which lesson S. Augustine hauing learned wrote thus Christus Christianisit caput let Christ be the Christian mans head And S. Peter that the King is the superior vnto whose ordinances if the Christians were to submit themselues in his time in ciuill matters why should not we submit our selues vnto them in Ecclesiasticall matters also now when God in his mercy hath made them not onely receiuers of the saith but also defenders of the same so long I say as we are thus taught and so haue learned why should any say that we are cut off from the head seeke to ioyne the whole Church militant to one ministeriall head I must needs confesse that it were a blessed thing and very comfortable to all that professe the religion of the crucified Christ if when there bee iarres in the Church wee might finde some one man or many in Rome or any where else that were so assured of his or their not erring M. Hard. in Confut. as that whatsoeuer hee or they said by way of iudgement to vse their owne words and sentence definatiue in doubtful points touching religion might safely be taken for truth for my part if I â—ould méete with any such I would giue them as much reuerence as were lawfull to be giuen to any man Chap. What if they should put forth their feet to be kist Salt I finde that our Sauiour to teach humility washt other mens feet but I doe not read that he required any either to kisse or wash his feete though no man were too good to do it and those that did it were to bee commended for their loue as shee that powred oyntment on him is to bee remembred wheresoeuer the Gospell shall be preached to be remembred I say not by painting her with a whip in her hand Luke 7.38 Math. 26.13 as if shée were a Iesuite but her doing is to bee spoken of Chap. Your talking of translations hath made you digresse from the salt of obedience returne to it againe Salt I will Wee are to obey those in God for whom we must pray Tim. 1.2 Pro. 8 15.1â— Pro. 12.1 which reigne and rule by God and for the glory of God who turneth the hearts whithersoeuer it pleaseth him but godly Kings are such therefore so to be obeyed We are to obey that Ruler which loueth him that speaketh right things Prou. 16.13 Prou. 20.26 scattereth the wicked and causeth the whéele to goâ— ouer them but this is done by a wise King therefore we are to obey him We are to feare to offend him whose wrath and feare is like the roaring of a Lyon Prou. 19.12 Prous 20 2. and in the light of whose countenance is life Prou. 16.15 but such are these things in a King therefore we should feare to offend him We are to loue honour and obey him who sitteth in his Throne Prou. 20.8 Prou. 29.4 chaseth away euill with his eyes and by iudgement maintaineth the Country but so doth a King as Salomon saith ergo we are to loue honour and obey him It is a shame for reasonable creatures hauing a King not to do that which Grasse-hopper swanting both reason and a King do Prou. 30.27 The Grasse-hopper saith the same Salomon hath no King yet goe they forth all by bands meaning they kéepe order though they haue no guide The faithfull subiects that séeke the peace of the Church the common good their own good and the fauour of God are to obey such commandements of their King as are in the same predicament if I may so speake in which were the commandements of that good King Hezechias but these commandements Goe to Church heare Gods word communicate pray for vnity peace and concord c. are of the same kinde as his were therefore they are to be obeyed c. Chap. What commandement of Hezechias do you speake of Salt Such as are mentioned Vers â— 2. Chron. 30. where it is said that Hezekias sent to all Israel and Iudah and also wrote Letters to Ephraim and Manasses that they should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem to keepe the Passouer vnto the Lord God of Israel So the Priests went with Letters by the CoÌ„mission of the King and his Princes through all Israel and Iudah and with the commandement of the King saying Yee children of Israel and Iudah turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel and he will returne to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hands of the King of Ashur 7 And be not you like your Fathers like your brethren which trespassed against the Lord God of your Fathers and therefore hee made them desolate as yee see 8 Be not ye stiffe-necked like your Fathers but giue the hand to the Lord and come into his sanctuary which he hath sanctified for euer and serue the Lord your God and the fiercenesse of his wrath shall turnâ— away from you For if you returne vnto the Lord your brethren and your children shall finde mercy before them that led them captiues and they shall returne vnto this land for the Lord your God is gracious and mercifull and will not turne away his face from you if you conuert vnto him Chap. What entertainment had
of his most precious bloud hath purchased for all them that repent and through a liuely saith bring forth fruites of true repentance cleaue stedfastly to him vnto the end Chap. Freind Salt-man you forget your selfe Sal. Why my good Chapman Chap. I came not to heare you Preach but to haue some Canonical Salt fit for the men you wot of Salt If you had not interrupted mee you had beene gone ere this take now the rest of the Salt say nothing till you haue sufficient What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices 〈…〉 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rarâ—s and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the bloud of Bullocks nor of Lambs nor of Goates 12 When you come to appeare before mee who required this of your hands to tread in my Courts 13 Bring no more oblations in vaine Incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabboths nor solemne dayes it is iniquity nor solemne Assemblies 14 My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed Feasts they are a burthen to me I am weary to beare them â—â— And when you shall stretch out your hand I will hide myne eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud 16 Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to do euill 17 Learne to do well speake iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdow 18 Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like skarlet they shall be as wooll 19 If yee consent and obey yee shall eate the good things of the land 20 But if yee refuse and bee rebellious yee shall bee deuoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it See also Esai 58. what Fast pleaseth God see also Ieremy 7.9.10 against stealing murder c. and such men standing in Gods-house and Ier. 22.15 Did not your fathers c. Whosoeuer then heareth of mee these words and doth the same saith our Sauiour I liken him to a wise-man Mat. 7.24 which hath builded his house on a rock 25 and the rayne tell and the flouds came and the windes blew and beate vpon that house and it fell not for it was grounded on a rocke 26 But whosoeuer heareth these my words and doth them not shal be likened to a foolish man which hath builded his house vpon the sand and the raine fell the flouds came 27 the winds blew and beate vpon that house and it fell and the fall thereof was great Then beganne hee to vbraide the Citties wherein most of his great workes were done Mat. â—â— â—â— 21 Woe bee to thee Corazin woe bee to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had bene done in Tirus Sidon they had repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes c. O Hypocrites 〈◊〉 â—9 7 Esaias prophycied well of you saying This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth 〈◊〉 29 1â— and honoureth mee with their â—ippes â—ath â—â— 3 but their hearts is farre from mee Bee ye doers of the word and not hearers onely 〈◊〉 â— â—2 Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersity to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Chap. This shall suffice for this time but I pray you tell me why doth the Lord reiect â—hose oblations and say their feasts were a burthen vnto him were they not appointed by the Law Salt Yes but the Lord doth hate this pleasing of our selues with outward shews and ceremoniall seruice for when there is no inward reformation The sacrifice of the wicked is an abhomination Prou 27 21. Therefore I may well say To kill an harmelesse beast and nourish hurtfull sinne To keepe a solemne feast and no sound saith within To come with fat of Rams and make the poore look leane To offer vp yong Lambs with bloudy hands vncleane In sight to fast and pray and make the Tenant cry To heare the word all day and put the widdowes by Such incense hath a smell like brimstone burnt in hell Chap. I would aske you one question more if I might Salt What is that Chap. Why doth the Lord say wash you make you cleane can we cleanse our selues Act. 2.40 Salt Saint Peter saith to some in the Acts of the Apostles Saue your selues from this froward generation And Saint Paul after he had exhorted Timothy to take héed vnto himselfe 1. Tim. 4.10 and vnto learning and to continue therein saith For in doing this thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee By which places we are giuen to vnderstand that as such as teach if in their calling they labour to bring men to Christ their Sauiour may assure themselues to bee in the way to saluation if they beléeue and haue a care to follow that word of God which they set before others So if others also which bee exhorted to wash and saue themselues shall after such exhortations through the grace of God by which as the Apostle saith we are made safe reason thus with theÌ„selues 〈…〉 wee vse to wash that which is soule and cleause places that are filthy surely whatsoeuer cleaueth to mee that the Lord which is onely perfectly pure and holy hath forbidden in his word and in iustice from time to time punished threatning eternall death and destruction to such as dy vncleansed that must needes bee foule and filthy in his sight till it be washed away but he hath forbidden threatned and punished idolatry witchery blasphemy periury contempt of the Sabboths treason resisting authority wilfull-muether filthy fornication adultery incest theft fraude wrong lying couetousnes such like therfore these with all their branches and rootes are most foule filthy in Gods sight If thus I say they reason with theÌ„selues being pricked in their hearts through the féeling of their owne filthinesse humbly fall downe before the Almighty iudging coÌ„demning themselues confessing the to theÌ„ belongeth shame confusion death and damnation for that they haue sinned against heauen and earth and shall therewithall pray to God to haue mercy on theÌ„ according to his louing kindnesse and according to the multitude of his mercies to do away theiriniquities to wash and cleanse them thorougly from them in the bloud of his Sonne to create in them a new heart and to renew a right spirit within them hauing therewithall a stedfast purpose to walke in newnesse of life thus if they do they may be said after a sort to wash themselues because as people earnestly defiring to serue God from hence-forth in newnesse of life they haue vsed the means
out of Rome in the end when hee saw death approach hee made his confession to one of his Cardinals that he abused his Pastorall office that hee had troubled mankind with malice and mischiefe by the counsell of the diuell Tract It seemeth strange to me that the Cardinall should reueale that which the Pope confessed to him on his death-bed Guid. It may be he was moued in conscience to do it to the end that such Popes as succeeded might beware by his example Tract Well go on Guid. Pope Honorius was a Monothelite Confer R. 〈◊〉 H 90 Maister Harding himselfe doth not deny this and others of this matter haue written thus Then were two meetings of Byshops in Constantinople which doe beare the name of the fixt Councell the former vnder the Emperour Constantinus the fourth about the yeare of Christ sixe hundred and eighty the latter vnder his sonne Iustinian towards a thirty yeares after The former was assembled against the herisie of the Monothelites the Byshops of the West Church as of the East The Monothelites said that Christ had but only one will so by consequent but one nature were present and they with one consent did all condemn Honorius If you Maister Tractable be not acquainted with these matters you may reade more at your leasure of Boniface the eighth who is said to haue entred like a Fox raigned like a Lyon and to haue dyed like a Dog Conf R. H 229 240 and of Alexander the sixt which Pope is said to haue bought the voyce of many Cardinals c. His couetousnesse is called vnsatiable his ambition vnmeasurable Onuph in Alexâ— his eruelcy more then barbarous and that hee had a most feruent desire of aduauncing by what meanes soe-euer his children of whom hee had many c. Such a Serpent held the seate of Saint Peter for the space of tenne yeares vntill his owne venome killed him Rom. How I pray you Guid. I will tell you how I finde it set downe by others When he and his sonne heire the Duke of Valence had purposed to haue poysoned a Cardinall whom they were to sup with as commonly they vsed not onely their enemies but also their friends yea neerest friends which had riches that themselues might bee enriched with their spoyle the Duke had sent thither Flagons of wine poysoned by a seruant whom hee made not priuy to the matter but willed him to giue them no man The Pope comming into the Cardinals before supper time the weather being hot he thirsty called for wine Now because his owne prouision for supper was not come from the Pallace yet the seruant of the Duke gaue him of that wine which he thought his Maister had willed to bee kept for himselfe as the best wine of which while hee was drinking his sonne the Duke came in and thinking the wine to be his fathers owne he drunke of it too so the Pope was carried sodainely for dead home to the Pallace and the next day hee was carried dead after the manner of the Popes into Saint Peters Church blacke swollen and vgly most manifest signes of poyson Rom. If this be true I must needs say it was Gods iust iudgement vpon them But what were those heresies ye spake of before of Arrius and Nâ—storius Guid. Saint Austin saith Aug. de 〈◊〉 ad quod that the Arrians would not haue the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost to bee of one nature and essence c. Nestorius Vni Lyr. ad verâ—haer as Vincentius salth fayning to distinguish two substances in Christ on a sodaine bringeth in two persons and by a wickednesse vnheard of would haue two Sonnes of God two Christs c. Rom. If my cozen had made these things knowne vnto mee I thinke though diuers laboured to keepe mee from going to Church yet I should haue kept in some froward speeches as namely this that I would be torne in peeces with wilde horses ere I would come to Church Guid. I haue heard that many haue vsed that desperate speech but I would wish all those which minde not to prouoke Gods wrath to their own woe to aske themselues what should moue them so to say Doe they think that God will be offended with them for hearing the Minister say Enter not into iudgement with thâ—â— seruants ô Lord c. or the a sorrowful spirit is a sacrifice to God despise not ô Lord humble contrite hearts or that it is a sinne to make a generall confession of our sinnes to say the Lords prayer to heare the Psalmes and chapters read to pray in the Letany among other things that it would please God to bring into the way of truth all such as haue erred and are deceiued or to be present where all estates degrees are prayed for yea that it would please God to haue mercy vpon all men to forgiue our enemies at the end of the commandements to say Lord haue mercy vpon vs and write all these thy lawes in our hearts wee beseech thee Or when we come to the congregation to say kneeling O almighty God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ iudge of all men we acknowledge bewaile our manifold sinnes and wickednesse which we from time to time most griueuously haue coÌ„mitted against thy Diuine Maiesty by thought word and deed prouoking most iustly thy wrath indignation against vs we do earnestly repent bee heartily sorry for these our mis-doings c. After the Communion to heare the Minister reade any of the prayers containing thanksgiuing as in the booke are appointed or to sing with the rest of the thanksgiuing in Méeter which beginneth The Lord be thanked for his gifts And mercy euermore That he hath shew'd vnto his Saints To him be laude therefore The reading or finging of this thaÌ„ksgiuing doth edifie coÌ„mfort the faithfull humble coÌ„municant far more then the hearing of an 100 Masses in a strange tongue by which indeed the vnlearned hath no edifying at al. Mad. What say you to these things Mi. Romana is there any thing heere that should hinder you from praying with vs Rom. Aske my cozen Guid. Aske your cozen aske your owne conscience What if your cozen should tell you that Peter brought men to the worship of Christ by magicall Arts and bad feates as some fayned before S. Austins time who wrot more then 1200 yeares ago Aug. de ciuit li 18 c 53 54 would you beleeue it to be so if your cozen should say so Tract I would you should well know Maister Guide-well that I am so far from hauing that opinion of Peter that I hold him for a true Teacher and for that Shepeheard whom Christ appointed to feede his Sheepe Guid. If you meane by Sheepheards the onely Sheepeheard I may not yeeld to you vnlesse I should dissent from S. Austin who on the tenth of Iohn saith Et quidem fratres c. And verily brethren in that hee
name giuen vnder Heauen Act 4.12 whereby we might be saued Awake yet at last and shake off your blindnes and frowardnesse least you bring both your selfe your Children to confusion they think they do wel in obeying you but that can not be vnlesse you obey the Lord and bid them do that which he aloweth you laugh at such counsaile as this because you take your selues to be wise indeed as it should seeme you are wise some of you to plotte mischieuous matters and to keepe it very close but such are not wise to do good this is no sanctified wisedome it is foolishnesse yea a damnable wickednesse in the sight of God Rom. All your talke is to me Madam you say nothing to Cathara the Puritaine Mad. Though she be precise in some points yet she prayeth for the King Queene and Prince she giueth good care to the Teacher she commeth to the communion and I am perswaded there is not any one in the land of those whom you call Puritances which wish so many of you as will not conuert gon with bagge and baggage which in defence of the Ghospell and his Maiestie would not loose each drop of his bloud though some on the Stage haue deryded them Eastward hoe saying their smooth skins will make the best Vellam Rom. Did you see that Play plaide Mad. No but I haue heard of it Guid. Mistresse Romana you call your Neighbour Puritan do you know who were the auntient puritanes Ro. Though I doe not my Couzen doth Tell them Couzen. Tract Saint Augustine in his Booke of Heresies to one called Quod vult Deus which in our tongue is as much to say as What God will rehearseth some 88. heresies whereof the 38. was the heresie of those who are there called Cathoroi which we may English Puritans Guid. Will you call all those Puritans which are any where called Cathoroi Tract If I did what then Guid. Then you must call Saint Paule Puritan and those whom he calleth Cleane Puritans Tract Why so Guid. In the twentith of the Acts where Saint Paule sayth I am cleane from the bloud of all The Greeke word which he vseth is Catharos and when he saith All things are cleane to the cleane He vseth the word Cathara and Catharois Yet I hope you will not picture him a Puritane Tract The Catharoi named by Saint Augustine tooke to themselues that name Superbissune atque odiosissime Aâ—g de here sibus ad quod vult deum her 38. most proudly and most odiously as it were for some cleanenes they admitted no second marriage they deny repentance following the Heretike Nouatus c. Rom. I know not what those heere in England hold in other matters but sure I am that some of them that are so called hauing buried their first Wiues haue beene married againe and therefore they are not Puritans in that point Guid. Of all generations that deserue the name of Puritans they most deserue it of whome Salomon speaketh Pro. 30.12 saying There is a Generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthinesse I trust you Neighbour Christianus be none of those yet I meruaile why touching this publique testimonie of thankefullnes you will not obey the order appointed and so keepe your selfe from trotting to the three weekes Court to pay fees You know or should know that a woman after Childe-birth when she first goeth to Church should kneele in some conuenient place neere to the Communion-table if there be a Communion otherwise they vse to kneele neere to the Ministers seate who is to exhort her to giue hearty thanks to God and pray and to the end she should acknowledge helpe to come from God who is able yea and doth when it pleaseth him defend his from all euill which is ment as it seemeth by these words The Sunne shall not burne thee by day c. he is apointed to reade the hundred twenty and one Psalme not that any should thinke it was appointed to be read in time of the Lawe when women offered eyther a Lambe or two young Pigeons Leuit 12. on the day of their purification for that Psalme was made long after such purifiyng began but to teach women which were wont to call on the Virgin that the same God which kept Dauid his company in time of warre both day and night in heate and cold is able to preserue them Also as I saide for shall we thinke that he which layeth a burthen vpon a mans backe is not hable to take it off The same God that saide to the Woman I will greatly increase thy sorrowes and thy conceptions Gen. 3.16 in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children c. preserued the same woman and thousands more in their trauell none of all them euer calling on the blessed Virgiue for help or desiring her to pray to God to help them yea Dauid saith to God Thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers wombe Rom. How know you that none of them called on our Lady Giud Because thousands of theÌ„ brought forth ere she did beare Christ Rom. Is that true cozen Tract Yes Rom. But did not Dauid make that Psalme to assure woemen that are purified or Churched that the Sunne shall not burne by day nor the Moone with her coldnesse hurt them by night Tract If woemen were Churched by Moone-shine it might séeme probable Aug. in Epis Ioan. tract 1. that it was made for them chiefly but none are Churched in the night time so farre as I know S. Augustine touching the burning of the Sun c. saith if thou hold charity thou shalt suffer no scandale in Christ nor in his Church nor forsake Christ nor his Church Rom. On then M. Guide-well Guid. After the Psalme and the Lords prayer there be certaine prayers for the woman the God would saue her bee vnto her a strong tower from the face of her enimy and the through Gods help she may both faithfully liue and walke in her vocation in this life present and also may bee partaker of euerlasting glory in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Cath. I do acknowledge that it is the part not of women onely but of all other to giue God hearty thankes when hee hath deliuered them out of any danger trouble or whatsoeuer was grieuous vnto them if a learned and godly Minister which conformed not himselfe to some order set downe touching the wearing of some apparell c. that is much esteemed and in a manner religiously regarded by the Romish Salt-peter-men should bee put from his Ministery and maintenance and at last finde such fauour at the hands of the higher powers as to bee restored againe which were much to bee wished such a Minister with his flock had good cause to be thankfull In like manner if a Marchant returne safe from the seas a Souldier from warres a sicke man from deathes doore all
these such like ought to praise God for his mercies but none of all these are appointed to kneel neere the Minister to heare that Psal read or any thanks to be giuē for their deliuerance there are indeed in the latter cōmunion booke generall thanks-giuing for raine for faire weather for plenty for peace and victory and for deliuerance from the plague all which are fit and due Mad. If this were commanded to bee done for those you speake of I meane the Marchant the Souldier and the sicke man vnto whom you may adde if you list such as be crept out of debt and such as be come out of prison they had no cause to refuse I say nothing of the Minister for if he be appointed to giue thanks for others I hope he will not forget himselfe Cath. If he may giue thankes for himselfe why not we for our selues Mad. We may priuately but sith wee are not allowed to do it publikely I meane to reade aloude that Psalme and such prayers as the Minister is appointed to reade we shall do well to be quiet and to shew our selues obedient because we are not called to make lawes but to obey them it is more fil we should consider what is commanded vs then what is or is not commanded to other Cath. But the woman that goeth to her thanks-giuing must offer the accustomed offerings and that me thinkes is somewhat Leuiticall Mad. Alasse neighbour that is but some little helpe towards the Ministers maintenance You know in some places they payd two pence halfe-peny and a crisom for both which some Ministers take some sixepence and so the woemen are not troubled to buy crisoms Cath. If there should be no crisom some would thinke all is not well Guid. Such as be ignorant and superstitiously addicted to externall things might be weaned from their fond opinions if they would come where they might bee taught you for your part know that the booke saith nothing of crisoms vailes comming with many or few nor of making any dinner wise and modest woemen will haue a care of their health howsoeuer they come and if neighbours that haue mourned with her that trauelled wil reioyce with her also whē time serueth and accompany her going forth to declare her thankefulnesse in the Church which is required in the said book thrre is no cause why any should be offended therewith Cath. But these Churching dinners pincheth the poore sort their husbands labour some three-weekes or a month to get some noble and that must be spent vpon one dinner to keepe custome and because they will do as others do and so after they haue done groning their husbands must grone too Mad. If any forgetting their owne abillity will striue to bee as plentifull as such as bee farre beyond them in wealth they deserue the coat with foure elbowes whether they dwell in towne or country in some places the wealthier wiues send the poore woman at such times in a manner sufficiēt for that dinner so that vnlesse they will play the foole shee need charge herselfe but little and whereas Mistris Rosamond hath espied some washing of bucks and fetching of fier very spéedily that might bee remedied if one poore neighbour at such times especially would help another it becommeth woemen to bee modest and shamefast in all their behauiour Rom. Now let Maister Say-well chide her for not kneeling at Communion Guid. I had more neede chide you for nicke-naming me and for not comming thither at all you know nothing what she doth but by heare-say Rom. I heare say shee despiseth your order Cath. That is not true I despise none of the order Guid. It is euill to despise order I meane any good order Beza in the treatise of the true and visible note of the Catholicke Church some graue and well-learned Diuines say whosoeuer where there is place for order despiseth that order he declareth by this very thing that hee is not of God and therefore not to be heard Cath. I take it hee meaneth despising through pride Guid. But to say something touching kneeling you know neighbour Cathara that when the Minister deliuereth vnto you the Sacramēt of Christ his body which was crucified for vs he prayeth thus The body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was giuen for thee preserue thy body and soule into euerlasting life which is all one as I take it with this The Lord Iesus Christ which suffered for thee in the flesh preserue c. Ioh. 3 16. Surely hee himselfe saith So God loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting if then the Minister in saying the body of our Lord Iesus Christ c. prayeth that Christ which was giuen to the death for you preserue your body and soule c. may you not say amen to it and giue thankes kneeling you know when the Minister saith Lift vp your hearts the people answere not wee lift them vp to the boord but to the Lord neither doth hee afterwards say glory bee to Christ in forme of bread but glory bee to God on high Cath. To receiue a Sacrament is one thing and to pray is another thing wee doe not kneele but stand when the Minister saith I Baptize thee c That seruice which hath no probable reason why it should bee done may seeme blind obedience Mad. It shall well beseeme vs neighbour kneeling before an outward shew of the reuerend regard we haue of that Sacrament and being so straightly required and commanded by some as make no idoll of the same to frame our selues to obedience and enterprete all things to the best The Minister deliuereth vnto vs from the Lord a pledge of his loue a Sacrament to confirme our faith in the crucified Christ on whom the soule feedeth and to whom the knee boweth hee being in glory Cath. The Popish sort when they saw the Sacramēt thought their maker to be really present in forme of bread in a grosse manner by meanes of transubstantiation and so bowed and knocked at the fight therof And therefore I haue refrained knéeling at that time not as thinking wee can bow too much or too oft to God but because I would bee loath to do any hurt by mine example Guid. In time of Popery the Priests taught the people so to do I meane to worship Christ in forme of bread but the Ministers of the Gospell teach their charge to worship him sitting in the glory of the Father If Catechising and Preaching cannot turne the minds of the wilfull your sitting or standing cannot do it Cath. But what say you to the ring giuen in solemnizing of Matrimony and to these words With this ring I thee Wed and with my body I thee worship Guid. That also must haue a fauourable interpretation I meane wee ought to construe this to the best That which is there spoken briefly and in few words if a-any