willing their torment they may be made most sensible of paine and by the obedible submission of their created nature wrought vpon immediately by their appointed tortures Besides the very horrour which ariseth from the place whereto they are euerlastingly confined For if the incorporeall spirits of liuing men may bee held in a loathed or painfull body and conceiue sorrow to bee so imprisoned Why may wee not as easily yeeld that the euill spirits of Angels or men may be held in those direfull flames and much more abhorre therein to continue for euer Tremble rather O my soule at the thought of this wofull condition of the euill Angels who for one onely act of Apostasie from God are thus perpetually tormented whereas we sinfull wretches multiply many and presumptuous offences against the Maiestie of our God And withall admire and magnifie that infinite mercy to the miserable generation of man which after this holy seueritie of iustice to the reuolted Angels so graciously forbeares our hainous iniquities and both suffers vs to be free for the time from these hellish torments and giues vs opportunitie of a perfect freedome from them for euer Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name who for giueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and compassions There is no time wherein the euill spirits are not tormented there is a time wherein they expect to be tormented yet more Art thou come to torment vs before our time They knew that the last Assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution which they also vnderstood to be not yet come For though they knew not when the Day of Iudgement should be a point concealed from the glorious Angels of heauen yet they knew when it should not be and therefore they say Before the time Euen the very euill spirits confesse and fearfully attend a set day of vniuersall Sessions They beleeue lesse then Deuils that either doubt of or deny that day of finall retribution Oh the wonderfull mercy of our God that both to wicked men and spirits respites the vtmost of their torment He might vpon the first instant of the fall of Angels haue inflicted on them the highest extremitie of his vengeance Hee might vpon the first sinnes of our youth yea of our nature haue swept vs away and giuen vs our portion in that fierie lake he stayes a time for both Though with this difference of mercy to vs men that here not onely is a delay but may be an vtter preuention of punishment which to the euill spirits is altogether impossible They doe suffer they must suffer and though they haue now deserued to suffer all they must yet they must once suffer more then they doe Yet so doth this euill spirit expostulate that he sues I beseech thee torment mee not The world is well changed since Satans first onset vpon Christ Then hee could say If thou be the Sonne of God now Iesus the Sonne of the most high God then All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me now I beseech thee torment mee not The same power when hee lists can change the note of the Tempter to vs How happy are wee that haue such a Redeemer as can command the Deuils to their chaines Oh consider this ye lawlesse sinners that haue said Let vs breake his bonds and cast his cords from vs How euer the Almighty suffers you for a iudgement to haue free scope to euill and ye can now impotently resist the reuealed will of your Creator yet the time shall come when yee shall see the very masters whom ye haue serued the powers of darknesse vnable to auoid the reuenges of God How much lesse shall man striue with his Maker man whose breath is in his nostrils whose house is clay whose foundation is the dust Nature teaches euery creature to wish a freedome from paine the foulest spirits cannot but loue themselues and this loue must needs produce a deprecation of euill Yet what a thing is this to heare the deuill at his prayers I beseech thee torment me not Deuotion is not guilty of this but feare There is no grace in the suit of Deuils but nature no respect of glory to their Creator but their owne ease They cannot pray against sinne but against torment for sinne What newes is it now to heare the profanest mouth in extremitie imploring the Sacred Name of God when the Deuils doe so The worst of all creatures hates punishment and can say Lead me not into paine onely the good heart can say Leade mee not into temptation If wee can as heartily pray against sinne for the auoiding of displeasure as against punishment when wee haue displeased there is true grace in the soule Indeed if wee could feruently pray against sinne we should not need to pray against punishment which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that bodie but if we haue not laboured against our sins in vaine doe wee pray against punishment God must be iust and the wages of sinne is death It pleased our holy Sauiour not onely to let fall words of command vpon this spirit but to interchange some speeches with him All Christs actions are not for example It was the errour of our Grand-mother to hold chat with Satan That God who knowes the craft of that old Serpent and our weake simplicitie hath charged vs not to enquire of an euill spirit surely if the Disciples returning to Iacobs Well wondred to see Christ talke with a woman well may wee wonder to see him talking with an vncleane Spirit Let it be no presumption O Sauiour to aske vpon what grounds thou didst this wherein wee may not follow thee Wee know that sinne was excepted in thy conformitie of thy selfe to vs wee know there was no guile found in thy mouth no possibilitie of taint in thy nature in thine actions Neither is it hard to conceiue how the same thing may bee done by thee without sinne which wee cannot but sinne in doing There is a vast difference in the intention in the Agent For on the one side thou didst not aske the name of the spirit as one that knew not and would learne by inquiring but that by the confession of that mischiefe which thou pleasedst to suffer the grace of the cure might bee the more conspicuous the more glorious so on the other God and man might doe that safely which meere man cannot doe without danger thou mightest touch the leprosie and not be legally vncleane because thou touchedst it to heale it didst not touch it with possibility of infection So mightest thou who by reason of the perfection of thy diuine nature wert vncapable of any staine by the interlocution with Satan safely conferre with him whom corrupt man pre-disposed to the danger of such a parle may not meddle with without sinne because not without perill It is
a basket and goe a masked pilgrimage to Shiloh Oh the fondnes of vaine men that thinke to iuggle with the Almighty to hide their counsels from that all-seeing eye If this change of habit were necessary at Bethel yet what needs it at Shiloh though shee would hide her face from her subiects yet why should she not pull off her muffler and shew her selfe to the Prophet Certainly what policy began guiltinesse must continue Well might she thinke there can bee no good answer expected of the wife of Ieroboam my presence will doe no lesse then sollicit a reproofe No prophet can speake well to the consort of a founder of Idolatry I may perhaps heare good as another though as my selfe I can looke for nothing but tidings of euill Wicked hearts know they deserue ill at Gods hands and therefore they doe all they can to auoid the eyes of his displeased iustice and if they cannot doe it by colours of dissimulation they will doe it by imploration of shelter they shall say to the Rocks Fall on vs and couer vs. But oh the grosse folly mixt with the craft of wickednesse could Ieroboam think that the Prophet could know the euent of his sons disease did he think that he could not know the disguise of his Wife the one was present the other future this was but wrapt in a clout that euent was wrapt vp in the counsell of God Yet this politike head presumes that the greater shall be reuealed where the lesser shall be hid There was neuer wicked man that was not infatuate and in nothing more then in those things wherein he hoped most to transcend the reach of others Ahijah shunning the iniquity of the times was retired to a solitarie corner of Shiloh no place could be too priuate for an honest Prophet in so extreme deprauednesse Yet euen there doth the King of Israel take notice of his reclusion sends his wife to that poore cell laden with presents presents that dissembled their bearer had she offered iewels or gold her greatnesse had bin suspected now she brings loaues and cracknels and honey her hand answers her backe She giues as she seemes not as she is Something she must giue euen when she acts the poorest client The Prophets of God were not wont to haue empty visitations they who hated bribes yet refused not tokens of gratitude Yea the God of heauen who neither needs our goods nor is capable of our gratifications yet would haue no man to come to him gift-lesse Woe to those sacrilegious hands that in stead of bringing to the Prophets carie from them Ieroboam was a bad man yet as he had a towardly son so he had an obedient wife else she had not wanted excuses to turne off both the iourney and the disguise against the disguise she had pleaded the vnbeseemingnesse for her person and state against the iourney the perils of so long and solitarie a walk perhaps a Lion might be in the way the Lion that tore the Prophet in pieces perhaps robbers or if not they perhaps her chastity might be in danger an vnguarded solitarinesse in the weaker fexe might bee a prouocation to some forced vncleannesse she casts off all these shifting proiections of feare according to the will of her husband she changes her raiment she sets vpon the iourney and ouercomes it What needed this disguise to an old Prophet whose dim eyes were set with age All cloathes all faces were alike to a blind Seer The visions of Ahijah were inward neither was his bodily sight more dusky then the eyes of his minde were cleare piercing It was not the common light of men whereby he saw but diuine illumination things absent things future were no lesse obuious to those spirituall beames then present things are to vs Ere the quick eyes of that great Lady can discerne him he hath espied her and so soone as hee heares the sound of her feet shee heares from him the sound of her name Come in thou Wife of Ieroboam How God laughes in heauen at the friuolous fetches of crafty politicians and when they thinke themselues most sure shames them with a detection with a defeat What an idlenesse it is for foolish Hypocrites to hope they can dance in a net vnseene of heauen Neuer before was this Queene troubled to heare of her selfe now shee is her very name strucke her with astonishment and prepares her for the assured horrour of following iudgements I am sent to thee with heauy tidings Goe tell Ieroboam Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Could this Lady lesse wonder at the mercy of this stile of God then tremble at the sequel of his iustice Lo Israel had forsaken God yet God stil ownes Israel Israel had gone a whoring yet God hath not diuorced her Oh the infinit goodnes of our long-suffering God whom our foulest sins cannot rob of his compassions By how much dearer Israel was to God so much more odious is Ieroboam that hath marred Israel Terrible is that vengeance which God thunders against him by his Prophet whose passionate message vpbraids him with his promotions chargeth him with his sinnes and lastly denounceth his iudgements No mouth was fitter to cast this royalty in the teeth of Ieroboam then that by which it was first foretold fore-promised Euery circumstance of the aduancement aggrauates the sin I exalted thee Thou couldest not rise to honour alone I exalted thee from among the people not from the Peeres thy ranke was but common before this rise I exalted thee from among the people to be a Prince subordinate height was not enough for thee no seat would serue thee but a throne Yea to be a Prince of my people Israel No Nation was for thee but my chosen one none but my royall inheritance Neither did I raise thee into a vacant throne a forlorne and forsaken Principality might be thanklesse but I rent the Kingdome away from another for thy sake yea from what other but the grand child of Dauid out of his hands did I wrest the Scepter to giue it into thine Oh what high fauours doth God sometimes cast away vpon vnworthy subiects How doe his abused bounties double both their sinne and iudgement The sinne of this Prince were no lesse eminent then his obligations therefore his iudgements shall bee no lesse eminent then his sinnes How bitterly doth God expresse that which shall be more bitter in the execution Behold I will bring euill vpon the house of Ieroboam and will cut off from Ieroboam him that pisseth against the wall and him that is shut vp and left in Israel and will take away the remnant of the house of Ieroboam as a man taketh away dung till it be all gone Him that dieth of Ieroboam in the Citie shall the dogs eate and him that dieth in the field shall the fowles of the aire eat Oh heauy load that this disguised Princesse must carie to her Husband but because these euils
different actions as persons yet all haue one common intention of good to themselues true in some but in the most imaginary The glorified Spirits haue but one vniforme worke wherein they all ioyne The praise of their Creator This is one difference betwixt the Saints aboue and below They aboue are free both from businesse and distraction these below are free though not absolutely from distraction not at all from businesse Paul could thinke of the cloke that he left at Troas and of the shaping of his skins for his Tents yet thorow these he look't still at heauen This world is made for businesse my actions must vary according to occasions my end shall be but one and the same now on earth that it must be one day in heauen 3 To see how the Martyrs of God died and the life of their persecutors would make a man out of loue with life and out of all feare of death They were flesh and bloud as well as we life was as sweet to them as to vs their bodies were as sensible of paine as ours wee goe to the same heauen with them How comes it then that they were so couragious in abiding such torments in their death as the very mention strikes horror into any Reader and we are so cowardly in encountering a faire and naturall death if this valour had beene of themselues I would neuer haue looked after them in hope of imitation Now I know it was he for whom they suffered and that suffered in them which sustained them They were of themselues as weake as I and God can bee as strong in me as hee was in them O Lord thou art not more vnable to giue me this grace but I am more vnworthie to receiue it and yet thou regardest not worthinesse but mercie Giue mee their strength and what end thou wilt 4 Our first age is all in hope When wee are in the wombe who knowes whether wee shall haue our right shape and proportion of body being neither monstrous nor deformed When wee are borne who knowes whether with the due features of a man wee shall haue the faculties of reason and vnderstanding When yet our progresse in yeeres discouereth wit or follie who knowes whether with the power of reason wee shall haue the grace of faith to bee Christians and when wee begin to professe well whether it bee a temporarie and seeming or a true and sauing faith Our middle age is halfe in hope for the future and halfe in proofe for that is past Our old age is out of hope and altogether in proofe In our last times therefore we know both what wee haue beene and what to expect It is good for youth to looke forward and still to propound the best things vnto it selfe for an old man to looke backward and to repent him of that wherein he hath failed and to recollect himselfe for the present but in my middle age I will looke both backward and forward comparing my hopes with my proofe redeeming the time ere it be all spent that my recouerie may preuent my repentance It is both a folly and miserie to say This I might haue done 5 It is the wonderfull mercie of God both to forgiue vs our debts to him in our sinnes and to make himselfe a debtor to vs in his promises So that now both waies the soule may be sure since hee neither calleth for those debts which hee hath once forgiuen nor withdraweth those fauours and that heauen which hee hath promised but as hee is a mercifull creditor to forgiue so is hee a true debtor to pay whatsoeuer hee hath vndertaken whence it is come to passe that the penitent sinner owes nothing to God but loue and obedience and God owes still much and all to him for he owes as much as he hath promised and what he owes by vertue of his blessed promise we may challenge O infinite mercie Hee that lent vs all that wee haue and in whose debt-bookes wee runne hourely forward till the summe be endlesse yet owes vs more and bids vs looke for payment I cannot deserue the least fauour hee can giue yet will I as confidently challenge the greatest as if I deserued it Promise indebteth no lesse than loane or desert 6 It is no small commendation to manage a little well He is a good Waggoner that can turne in a narrow roome To liue well in abundance is the praise of the estate not of the person I will studie more how to giue a good account of my little than how to make it more 7 Many Christians doe greatly wrong themselues with a dull and heauie kinde of fullennesse who not suffering themselues to delight in any worldly thing are thereupon oft-times so heartlesse that they delight in nothing These men like to carelesse guests when they are inuited to an excellent banquet lose their dainties for want of a stomacke and lose their stomacke for want of exercise A good conscience keepes alwaies good cheereâ— hee cannot chuse but fare well that hath it vnlesse hee lose his appetite with neglect and slothfulnesse It is a shame for vs Christians not to finde as much ioy in God as worldlings doe in their forced meriments and lewd wretches in the practice of their sinnes 8 A wise Christian hath no enemies Many hate and wrong him but hee loues all men and all pleasure him Those that professe loue to him pleasure him with the comfort of their societie and the mutuall reflection of friendship those that professe hatred make him more warie of his waies shew him faults in himselfe which his friends would either not haue espied or not censured send him the more willingly to seeke fauour aboue and as the worst doe bestead him though against their wills so hee againe doth voluntarily good to them To doe euill for euill as Ioab to Abner is a sinfull weaknesse To doe good for good as Ahasuerus to Mordecai is but naturall iustice To doe euill for good as Iudas to Christ is vnthankfulnesse and villanie Onely to doe good for euill agrees with Christian profession And what greater worke of friendship than to doe good If men will not be my friends in loue I will perforce make them my friends in a good vse of their hatred I will be their friend that are mine and would not be 9 All temporall things are troublesome For if wee haue good things it is a trouble to forgoe them and when wee see they must bee parted from either wee wish they had not beene so good or that wee neuer had enioyed them Yea it is more trouble to lose them than it was before ioy to possesse them If contrarily wee haue euill things their very presence is troublesome and still we wish that they were good or that we were disburdened of them So good things are troublesome in euent euill things in their vse They in the future these in present they because they shall come to an end these because they doe
thou mightest neuer taste of it hee would bee in sense for a time as forsaken of his Father that thou mightest be receiued for euer Now bid thy soule returne to her rest and enioyne it Dauids taske Praise the Lord O my soule and What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. And as rauisht from thy selfe with the sweet apprehension of this mercy call all the other creatures to the fellowship of this ioy with that diuine Esay Reioyce O yee heauens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth burst forth into praises yee mountaines for the Lord hath redeemed Iacob and will bee glorified in Israel And euen now begin that heauenly Song which shall neuer end with those glorified Saints Praise and honour and glory and power be to Him that sitteth vpon the Throne and to the Lambe for euermore Thus our speech of Christs last word is finished His last act accompanied his words our speech must follow it Let it not want your deuout and carefull attention He bowed and gaue vp the ghost The Crosse was a slow death and had more paine than speed whence a second violence must dispatch the crucified their bones must be broken that their hearts might breake Our Sauiour stayes not deaths leisure but willingly and couragiously meets him in the way and like a Champion that scornes to be ouercome yea knowes hee cannot be yeeldeth in the middest of his strength that he might by dying vanquish death Hee bowed and gaue vp Not bowing because he had giuen vp but because he would Hee cryed with a loud voyce saith Matthew Nature was strong he might haue liued but he gaue vp the ghost and would die to shew himselfe Lord of life and death Oh wondrous example hee that gaue life to his enemies gaue vp his owne he giues them to liue that persecute and hate him and himselfe will die the whiles for those that hate him Hee bowed and gaue vp not they they might crowne his head they could not bow it they might vex his spirit not take it away they could not doe that without leaue this they could not doe because they had no leaue Hee alone would bow his head and giue vp his ghost I haue power to lay downe my life Man gaue him not his life man could not bereaue it No man takes it from mee Alas who could The High Priests forces when they came against him armed he said but I am he they flee and fall backward How easie a breath disperst his enemies whom hee might as easily haue bidden the earth yea hell to swallow or fire from heauen to deuoure Who commanded the Deuils and they obeyed could not haue beene attached by men he must giue not onely leaue but power to apprehend himselfe else they had not liued to take him hee is laid hold of Peter fights Put vp saith Christ Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and hee will giue me more than twelue Legions of Angels What an Army were here more then threescore and twelue thousand Angels and euery Angell able to subdue a world of men he could but would not be rescued he is led by his owne power not by his enemies and stands now before Pilate like the scorne of men crowned robbed scourged with an Ecce homo Yet thou couldst haue no power against me vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue Behold he himselfe must giue Pilate power against himselfe Quod emittitur voluntarium est quod amâ—â—tur aecessarium Ambr. else he could not be condemned he will be condemned lifted vp nailed yet no death without himselfe Hee shall giue his soule an offering for sinne Esay 53.10 No action that sauours of constraint can be meritorious he would deserue therefore he would suffer and die Hee bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost O gracious and bountifull Sauiour hee might haue kept his soule within his teeth in spight of all the world the weaknesse of God is stronger than men and if he had but spoken the word the heauens and earth should haue vanisht away before him but hee would not Behold when hee saw that impotent man could not take away his soule he gaue it vp and would die that we might liue See here a Sauiour that can contemne his owne life for ours and cares not to be dissolued in himselfe that we might be vnited to his Father Skin for skin saith the Deuill and all that hee hath a man will giue for his life Loe here to proue Sathan a lyer skinne and life and all hath Christ Iesus giuen for vs. Wee are besotted with the earth and make base shifts to liue one with a maimed bodie another with a periured soule a third with a rotten name and how many had rather neglect their soule than their life and will rather renounce and curse God than die It is a shame to tell Many of vs Christians doat vpon life and tremble at death and shew our selues fooles in our excesse of loue cowards in our feare Peter denies Christ thrice and forsweares him Marcellinus twice casts graines of incense into the Idols fire Ecebolius turnes thrice Spira reuolts and despaires Oh let mee liue saith the fearefull soule Whither doest thou reserue thy selfe thou weake and timorous creature or what wouldest thou doe with thy selfe Thou hast not thus learned Christ he died voluntarily for thee thou wilt not be forced to die for him he gaue vp the ghost for thee thou wilt not let others take it from thee for him thou wilt not let him take it for himselfe When I looke backe to the first Christians and compare their zealous contempt of death with our backwardnesse I am at once amazed and ashamed I see there euen women the feebler sex running with their little ones in their armes for the preferment of Martyrdome and ambitiously striuing for the next blow I see holy and tender Virgins chusing rather a sore and shamefull death than honourable Espousals I heare the blessed Martyrs Quod si venire nolucrint ego vim faciam vt dâ—â—orer intreating their tyrants and tormentors for the honour of dying Ignatius amongst the rest fearing lest the beasts will not deuoure him and vowing the first violence to them that he might bee dispatched And what lesse courage was there in our memorable and glorious fore-fathers of the last of this age and doe we their cold and feeble off-spring looke pale at the face of a faire and naturall death abhorre the violent though for Christ Alas how haue we gathered rust with our long peace Our vnwillingnesse is from inconsideration from distrust Looke but vp to Christ Iesus vpon his Crosse and see him bowing his head and breathing out his soule and these feares shall vanish he died and wouldest thou liue hee gaue vp the ghost and wouldest thou keepe it whom wouldest thou follow if not thy
were Why doe not we learne zeale of Idolaters And if they be so forward in acknowledgement of their deliuerances to a false deity how cheerefully should we ascribe ours to the true O God whatsoeuer be the meanes thou art the Author of all our successe Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and tell the wonders that he doth for the sonnes of men No Musician would serue for this feast but Samson hee must now be their sport which was once their terror that he might want no sorrow scorn is added to his misery Euery wit and hand playes vpon him Who is not ready to cast his bone and his iest at such a captiue So as doubtlesse he wisht himselfe no lesse deafe then blind and that his soule might haue gone out with his eyes Oppression is able to make a wise man mad and the greater the courage is the more painefull the insultation Now Samson is punished shall the Philistims escape If the iudgement of God begin at his owne what shall become of his enemies This aduantage shall Samson make of their tyranny that now death is no punishment to him his soule shall flie forth in this bitternesse without pain and that his dying reuenge shall be no lesse sweet to him then the liberty of his former life He could not but feele God mockt through him and therefore whiles they are scoffing hee prayes his seriousnesse hopes to pay them for all those iests If he could haue been thus earnest with God in his prosperity the Philistims had wanted this laughing stocke No deuotion is so feruent as that which arises frō extremity O Lord God I pray thee think vpon me O God I beseech thee strengthen me at this time only Though Samsons haire were shorter yet he knew Gods hand was not as one therefore that had yet eyes enough to see him that was inuisible and whose faith was recouered before his strength he sues to that God which was a party in this indignity for power to reuenge his wrongs more then his own It is zeale that moues him not malice his renued faith tels him that he was destined to plague the Philistims and reason tels him that his blindnesse puts him out of the hope of such another opportunity Knowing therfore that this play of the Philistims must end in his death he recollects all the forces of his soule and body that his death may be a punishment in stead of a disport and that his soule may bee more victorious in the parting then in the animation and so addresses himselfe both to dye and kill as one whose soule shall not feele his owne dissolution whiles it shall carry so many thousand Philistims with it to the pit All the acts of Samson are for wonder not for imitation So didst thou O blessed Sauiour our better Samson conquer in dying and triumphing vpon the chariot of the Crosse didst leade captiuity captiue The law sinne death hell had neuer been vanquisht but by thy death All our life liberty and glory springs out of thy most precious bloud MICHAES Idolatry THe mother of Micha hath lost her siluer and now she fals to cursing she did afterwards but change the forme of her god her siluer was her god ere it did put on the fashion of an image else she had not so much cursed to lose it if it had not too much possessed her in the keeping A carnall heart cannot forgoe that wherein it delights without impatience cannot be impatient without curses whereas the man that hath learned to inioy God and vse the world smiles at a shipwrack and pitties a theefe and cannot curse but pray Micha had so little grace as to steale from his mother and that out of wantonnesse not out of necessity for if she had not been rich so much could not haue been stolne from her and now he hath so much grace as to restore it her curses haue fetcht againe her treasures He cannot so much loue the money as he feares her imprecations Wealth seemes too deare bought with a curse Though his fingers were false yet his heart was tender Many that make not conscience of committing sinne yet make conscience of facing it It is well for them that they are but nouices in euill Those whom custome hath fleshed in sinne can either deny and forsweare or excuse and defend it their seared hearts cannot feele the gnawing of any remorse and their forehead hath learned to be as an impudent as their heart is senslesse I see no argument of any holinesse in the mother of Micha her curses were sinne to he◠selfe yet Micha dares not but feare them I know not whether the causlesse curse be more worthy of pitty or derision it hurts the author not his aduersary but the deserued curses that fall euen from vnholy mouthes are worthy to be feared How much more should a man hold himselfe blasted with th◠iust inprecations of the godly What metall are those made of that can applaud themselues in the bitter curses which their oppressions haue wrung from the poore and reioyce in these signes of their prosperity Neither yet was Micha more stricken with his mothers curses then with the conscience of sacriledge so soone as he findes there was a purpose of deuotion in this treasure he dares not conceale it to the preiudice as he thought of God more then of his mother What shall we say to the palate of those men which as they finde no good rellish but in stolne waters so best in those which are stolne from the fountaine of God How soone hath the old woman changed her note Euen now she passed an indefinite curse vpon her sonne for stealing and now she blesses him absolutely for restoring Blessed be my sonne of the Lord. She hath forgotten the theft when she sees the restitution How much more shall the God of mercies be more pleased with our confession then prouoked with our sinne I doubt not but this siluer and this superstition came out of Egypt together with the mother of Micha This history is not so late in time as in place for the Tribe of Dan was not yet setled in that first diuision of the promised land so as this old woman had seen both the Idolatry of Egypt and the golden Calfe in the wildernes and no doubt contributed some of her earerings to that Deity after all the plagues which she saw inflicted vpon her brethren for that Idoll of Horeb and Baal-Peor shee still reserues a secret loue to superstition now shewes it Where mis-religion hath once possessed it selfe of the heart it is very hardly cleansed out but like the plague it will hang in the very clothes and after long lurking breake forth in an expected infection and old wood is the aptest to take this fire After all the ayring in the desart Michoes mother will smell of Egypt It had bin better the siluer had bin stolne then thus bestowed for now they haue so
posteritie Happy is that childe whose progenitors are in heauen hee is left an inheritor of blessing together with estate whereas wicked ancestors lose the thanke of a rich patrimonie by the curse that attends it He that thinkes because punishment is deferd that God hath forgiuen or forgot his offence is vnacquainted with iustice and knowes not that time makes no difference in eternity The Amalekites were wicked Idolaters and therefore could not want many present sinnes which deserued their extirpation That God which had taken notice of all their offences picks out this one noted sinne of their forefathers for reuenge Amongst all their indignities this shall beare the name of their iudgement As in legall proceedings with malefactors one inditement found giues the stile of their condemnation In the liues of those which are notoriously wicked God cannot looke besides a sinne yet when he drawes to an execution he fastens his sentence vpon one euill as principall others as accessaries so as at the last one sinne which perhaps wee make no account of shall pay for all The paganish Idolatries of the Amalekites could not but bee greater sinnes to God then their hard measure to Israel yet God sets this vpon the file whiles the rest are not recorded Their superstitions might bee of ignorance this sinne was of malice Malicious wickednesses of all other as they are in greatest opposition to the goodnesse and mercy of God shall be sure of the paiment of greatest vengeance The detestation of God may be measured by his reuenge slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxe and Sheepe Camell and Asse not themselues onely but euery thing that drew life either from them or for their vse must dye When the God of mercy speakes such bloody words the prouocation must needs be vehement sinnes of infirmitie doe but mutter spightfull sinnes cry loud for iudgement in the cares of God Prepensed malice in courts of humane iustice aggrauates the murther and sharpens the sentence of death What then was this sinne of Amalek that is called vnto this late reckoning What but their enuious and vnprouoked onsets vpon the backe of Israel this was it that God tooke so to heart as that hee not onely remembers it now by Samuel but hee bids Israel euer to remember it by Moses Remember how Amalek met thee by the way and smote the hindmost of you all that were feeble behinde thee when thou wast faint and weary Besides this did Amalek meet Israel in a pitcht battell openly in Rephidim for that God payed them in the present The hand of Moses lifted vp on the Hill slew them in the Valley He therefore repeats not that quarrell but the cowardly and cruell attempts vpon an impotent enemy sticke still in the stomacke of the Almighty Oppression and wrong vpon euen termes are not so hainous vnto God as those that are vpon manifest disaduantage In the one there is an hazard of returne In the other there is euer a tyrannous insultation God takes still the weaker part and will be sure therefore to plague them which seeke to put iniuries on the vnable to resist This sinne of Amalek slept all the time of the Iudges those gouernors were onely for rescue and defence now so soone as Israel hath a King and that King is setled in peace God giues charge to call them to account It was that which God had both threatned and sworne and now he chooses out a fit season for the execution As wee vse to say of winter the iudgements of God doe neuer rot in the skie but shall fall if late yet surely yet seasonably There is small comfort in the delay of vengeance whiles we are sure it shall lose nothing in the way by length of protraction The Kenites were the off-springs of Hobad or Iethro father in law to Moses the affinitie of him to whom Israel owed their deliuerance and being was worthy of respect but it was the mercy of that good and wise Midianite shewed vnto Israel in the wildernesse by his graue aduice cheerefull gratulation and aide which wonne this gratefull forbearance of his posterity He that is not lesse in mercy then in iustice as hee challenged Amaleks sinne of their succeeding generations so he deriues the recompence of Iethro's kindnesse vnto his far descended issue Those that were vnborne many ages after Iethro's death receiue life from his dust and fauour from his hospitalitie The name of their dead grandfather saues them from the common destruction of their neighbours The seruices of our loue to Gods children are neuer thanklesse when we are dead and rotten they shall liue and procure blessings to those which neuer knew perhaps not heard of their progenitors If we sow good workes succession shall reape them and we shall be happy in making them so The Kenites dwelt in the borders of Amalek but in tents as did their issue the Rechabites so as they might remoue with ease They are warned to shift their habitations lest they should perish with ill neighbours It is the manner of God first to separate before he iudge as a good husband weeds his come ere it bee ripe for the sickle and goes to the fanne ere he goe to the fire When the Kenites packe vp their fardels it is time to expect iudgement Why should not wee imitate God and separate our selues that we may not be iudged separate not one Kenite from another but euery Kenite from among the Amalekites else if we will needs liue with Amalek we cannot thinke much to dye with him The Kenites are no sooner remoued then Saul fals vpon the Amalekites Hee destroyes all the people but spares their King The charge of God was vniuersall for man and beast In the corruption of partialitie lightly the greatest escape Couetousnesse or mis-affection are commonly guiltie of the impunitie of those which are at once most eminent in dignitie and in offence It is a shamefull hypocrisie to make our commoditie the measure and rule of our execution of Gods command and vnder pretence of godlinesse to pretend gaine The vnprofitable vulgar must die Agag may yeelda rich ransome The leane and feeble cattle that would but spend stouer and die alone shall perish by the sword of Israel the best may stocke the grounds and furnish the markets O hypocrites did God send you for gaine or for reuenge Went you to be purueyors or executioners If you plead that all those wealthy herds had been but lost in a speedy death thinke yee that hee knew not this which commanded it Can that be lost which is deuoted to the will of the owner and Creator Or can ye thinke to gaine any thing by disobedience That man can neuer either do well or farewell which thinkes there can be more profit in any thing then in his obedience to his Maker Because Saul spared the best of the men the people spared the best of the cattle each is willing to fauour other in the
nature but turne the watery iuyce that arises vp from the roote into wine he will onely doe this now suddenly and at once which he doth vsually by sensible degrees It is euer duely obserued by the Sonne of God not to doe more miracle than he needs How liberall are the prouisions of Christ If hee had turned but one of those vessels it bad beene a iust proofe of his power and perhaps that quantitie had serued the present necessitie now hee furnisheth them with so much wine as would haue serued an hundred and fiftie ghests for an intire feast Euen the measure magnifies at once both his power and mercy The munificent hand of God regards not our need onely but our honest affluence It is our sinne and our shame if wee turne his fauour into wantonnesse There must bee first a filling ere there bee a drawing out Thus in our vessels the first care must be of our receit the next of our expence God would haue vs Cisternes not Channels Our Sauiour would not bee his owne â—aster but hee sends the first draught to the Gouernour of the feast Hee knew his owne power they did not Neither would hee beare witnesse of himselfe but fetch it out of others mouthes They that knew not the originall of that wine yet praysed the taste Euery man at the beginning doth set forth good wine and when men haue well drunke then that which is worse but thou hast kept the good wine vntill now The same bounty that expressed it selfe in the quantitie of the Wine shewes it selfe no lesse in the excellence Nothing can fall from that diuine hand not exquisite That liberalitie hated to prouide crab-wine for his guests It was fit that the miraculous effects of Christ which came from his immediate hand should bee more perfect than the naturall O blessed Sauiour how delicate is that new Wine which wee shall one day drinke with thee in thy Fathers Kingdome Thou shalt turne this water of our earthly affliction into that Wine of gladnesse wherewith our soules shall be satiate for euer Make haste O my Beloued and bee thou like to a Roe or to a yong Hart vpon the Mountaine of Spices The good Centurion EVen the bloudy trade of Warre yeelded worthy Clients to Christ This Romane Captaine had learned to beleeue in that Iesus whom many Iewes despised No Nation no Trade can shut out a good heart from God If hee were a Forreiner for birth yet hee was a Domestick in heart Hee could not change his bloud he could ouer-rule his affections He loued that Nation which was chosen of God and if he were not of the Synagogue yet hee built a Synagogue where hee might not bee a Partie hee would bee a Benefactor Next to being good is a fauouring of goodnesse We could not loue Religion if we vtterly want it How many true Iewes were not so zealous Either will or ability lacked in them whom duty more obliged Good affections doe many times more than supply nature Neither doth God regard whence but what wee are I doe not see this Centurion come to Christ as the Israelitish Captaine came to Elias in Carmel but with his Cap in his hand with much suit much submission by others by himselfe hee sends first the Elders of the Iewes whom hee might hope that their Nation and place might make gracious then lest the imployment of others might argue neglect he seconds them in person Cold and fruitlesse are the motions of friends where wee doe wilfully shut vp our owne lips Importunitie cannot but speed well in both Could wee but speake for our selues as this Captaine did for his Seruant what could wee possibly want What maruell is it if God be not forward to giue where wee care not to aske or aske as if wee cared not to receiue Shall wee yet call this a suit or a complaint I heare no one word of entreatie The lesse is said the more is concealed it is enough to lay open his want Hee knew well that hee had to deale with so wise and mercifull a Physitian as that the opening of the maladie was a crauing of cure If our spirituall miseries be but confessed they cannot fayle of redresse Great varietie of Suitors resorted to Christ One comes to him for a Sonne another for a Daughter a third for himselfe I see none come for his Seruant but this one Centurion Neither was he a better man than a Master His Seruant is sick hee doth not driue him out of doores but layes him at home neither doth he stand gazing by his beds-side but seekes forth He seekes forth not to Witches or Charmers but to Christ he seekes to Christ not with a fashionable relation but with a vehement aggrauation of the disease Had the Master beene sicke the faithfullest Seruant could haue done no more He is vnworthy to bee well serued that will not sometimes wait vpon his followers Conceits of inferioritie may not breed in vs a neglect of charitable offices so must we looke downe vpon our Seruants here on earth as that we must still looke vp to our Master which is in Heauen But why didst thou not O Centurion rather bring thy Seruant to Christ for cure than sue for him absent There was a Paralyticke whom Faith and Charitie brought to our Sauiour and let downe thorow the vncouered roofe in his Bed why was not thine so carryed so presented Was it out of the strength of thy faith which assured thee thou needest not shew thy Seruant to him that saw all things One and the same grace may yeeld contrarie effects They because they beleeued brought the Patient to Christ thou broughtest not thine to him because thou beleeuedest their act argued no lesse desire thinâ— more confidence Thy labour was lesse because thy faith was more Oh that I could come thus to my Sauiour and make such more to him for my selfe Lord my soule is sicke of vnbeliefe sicke of selfe-loue sicke of inordinate desires I should not neede to say more Thy mercie O Sauiour would not then stay byfâ—â— my suit but would preuent mee as here with a gracious ingagement I will come and heale thee I did not heare the Centurion say Either come or heale him The one he meant though he said not the other hee neither said nor meant Christ ouer giues both his words and intentions It is the manner of that diuine munificence where hee meets with a faithfull Suitor to giue more than is requested to giue when hee is not requested The very insinuations of our necessities are no lesse violent than successefull We thinke the measure of humane bountie runnes ouer when we obtayne but what we aske with importunitie that infinite goodnesse keepes within bounds when it ouer-flowes the desires of our hearts As he said so hee did The word of Christ either is his act or concurres with it Hee did not stand still when hee said I will come but hee went as hee spake When the
and send them home empty of substance laded with shame halfe-dead with feare the very horses that might haue hastened their flight are left tied in their Tents their very garments are a burthen all is left behind saue their very bodies and those breathlesse for speed Doubtlesse these Syrians knew well to what miserable exigents the inclosed Israelites were brought by their siege and now made full account to sacke and ransacke their Samaria already had they diuided and swallowed the prey when suddenly God puts them into a ridiculous confusion and sends them to seeke safety in their heeles no booty is now in price with them but their life and happy is hee that can run fastest Thus the Almighty laughes at the designes of insolent men and shuts vp their counsels in shame The feare of the foure Lepers began now to giue way to security they fill their bellies and hide their treasures and passe from one Tent to another in a fastidious choice of the best commodities they who ere-while would haue held it happinesse enough to haue beene blessed with a crust now wantonly roue for dainties and from necessitie leape into excesse How farre selfe-loue caries vs in all our actions euen to the neglect of the publique Not till their owne bellies and hands and eies were filled did these Lepers thinke of imparting this newes to Israel at last when themselues are glutted they begin to remember the hunger of their brethren and now they finde roome for remorse We doe not well this day is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace Nature teaches vs that it is an iniurie to ingrosse blessings and so to mind the priuate as if we had no relation to a community we are worthy to be shut out of the City-gates for Lepers if the respects to the publique good do not ouer-sway with vs in all our desires â—n all our demeanure and well may wee with these couetous Lepers feare a mischiefe vpon our selues if we shall wilfully conceale blessings from others The conscience of this wrong and danger sends backe the Lepers into the Citie they call to the Porters and soone transmit the newes to the Kings houshold The King of Israel complaines not to haue his sleepe broken with such intelligence Hee ariseth in the night and not contemning good newes though brought by Lepers consults with his seruants of the businesse We cannot be too iealous of the intentions of an enemy Iehoram wisely suspects th s flight of the Syrians to be but simulatorie and politicke onely to draw Israel out of their City for the spoile of both There may bee more perill in the backe of an enemy then in the face the cruellest slaughters haue beene in retiring Easily therefore is the King perswaded to aduenture some few for-lorne Scouts for further assurance The word of Elisha is out of his head out of his heart else there had beene no place for this doubt Timorous hearts neuer thinke themselues sure those that haue no faith had need of much sense Those few horses that remaine are sent forth for discouery they find nothing but Monuments of frightfulnesse pledges of security Now Israel dares issue forth to the prey There as if the Syrians had comne thither to inrich them they finde granaries wardrobes treasures and what euer may serue either for vse or ostentation Euery Israelite goes away filled laden wearied with the wealthy spoile As scarcitie breeds dearth so plenty cheapnesse To day a measure of fine flower is lower rated then yesterday of dung The distrustfull Peere of Israel sees this abundance according to the word of the Prophet but enioyes it not he sees this plenty can come in at the gate though the windowes of heauen be not open The gate is his charge The affamished Israelites presse in vpon him beare him downe in the throng Extreme hunger hath no respect to greatnesse Not their rudenesse but his owne vnbeleefe hath trampled him vnder feet Hee that abased the power of God by his distrust is abased worthily to the heeles of the multitude Faith exalts a man aboue his owne sphere Infidelitie depresses him into the Dust into Hell He that beleeues not is condemned already FJNIS AN ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE WHOLE VVORKE AAron his Censer and Rod pag. 925 Aarons courage or mercy whether to bee more maruelled at 925 926. Absence The absence of God is hell it selfe 915 Sinnes not afflictions argue Gods absence 976 977. Abigail The signification of her name 1102. With her sorrow ibid. Her cariage to Dauid 1104. Ability A caution for concealment of our abilities 852. Carnall hearts are caried away with the presumption of their owne abilities 1081. Abimelech his vsurpation 985. Of him and Dauid 1091. Abner and Ioah 1119. Abraham Of him and his tryals 831. None of them like to that of sacrificing Isaack 834 Absolom Of his returne and conspiracy 1148. In his banishment is shadowed the misery of such as are shut out of heauen 1149. Of his pride treason 1150. His death 1237. Acception Acception of persons a good note of it in Ioshua and the Gibeonites 966. Achan his one sinne what it doth to all Israel 954. His hope of secrecie in his sin what it doth 955. His confession 956. Achish Of him Dauid 1106. Achitophel Of him and his counsell 1234 His fathers mourning for him 1240. Acquaintance Our strangenesse with God condemned being so often inuited to his acquaintance 52. Long acquaintance maketh those things which are euill to seeme lesse euill 145. Actions All our actions of faith and charity shall bee sure of pay 953. No action can giue vs comfort but that which wee doe out of the grounds of obedience 1027 Admonition With what impatience a gaulled heart doth receiue admonition 898 Sweet compellations how helpfull to the entertainment of good admonitions 956 How we must deale with admonitions to our brethren 1104 Adonijah he is defeated 1255. Aduersity what it teacheth 24 Affections good affections make heauy things light 3 Heauenly affections must bee free without composition 37 38 Loue and feare are two main affections of the soule 475 The affections how deceitfull 504 Affectation it is a great enemie of doing well 14 Nothing forced by affectation can be comely 59 The vanity of being caried away with the affectation of fame 66 Afflictions Not to be afflicted is a signe of weaknesse 7 A method in suffering afflictions 38 A notable enducement to suffering afflictions 45 46. Afflictions in loue better then prosperity without it 51 A good rule for behauing of our selues in afflictions 65 No maruell why the wicked are no more afflicted 149 A discourse of the comfortable remedies of all afflictions 366 The wicked grow worse by afflictions 835 Gods hand is often heauy on those whom he loues 855 Nothing so powerfully calls home a man as affliction ibid. The affliction of Israel 893 In our afflictions when wee seeme most neglected then is God most present
hauing honey in the mouth hath a sting in the taile Why am I so foolish to rest my heart vpon any of them and not rather labour to aspire to that one absolute Good in whom is nothing sauouring of griefe nothing wanting to perfect happinesse 17 A sharpe reproofe I account better than a smooth deceit Therefore when my friend checkes me I will respect it with thankfulnesse when others flatter me I will suspect it and rest in mine owne censure of my selfe who should be more priuie and lesse partiall to my owne deseruings 18 Extremity distinguisheth friends Worldly pleasures like Physicians giue vs ouer when once we lie a dying and yet the death-bed had most need of comforts Christ Iesus standeth by his in the pangs of death and after death at the barre of iudgement not leauing them either in their bed or graue I will vse them therefore to my best aduantage not trust them But for thee O my Lord which in mercy and truth canst not faile me whom I haue found euer faithfull and present in all extremities Kill me yet will I trust in thee 19 We haue heard of so many thousand generations passed and we haue seene so many hundreds die within our knowledge that I wonder any man can make account to liue one day I will die daily It is not done before the time which may be done at all times 20 Desire oft times makes vs vnthankfull For who so hopes for that he hath not vsually forgets that which he hath I will not suffer my heart to roue after high or impossible hopes lest I should in the meane time contemne present benefits 21 In hoping well in being ill and fearing worse the life of man is wholly consumed When I am ill I will liue in hope of better when well in feare of worse neither will I at any time hope without feare lest I should deceiue my selfe with too much confidence wherein euill shall be so much more vnwelcome and intolerable because I looked for good nor againe feare without hope lest I should be ouer-much deiected nor doe either of them without true contentation 22 What is man to the whole earth What is earth to the heauen What is heauen to his Maker I will admire nothing in it selfe but all things in God and God in all things 23 There be three vsuall causes of ingratitude vpon a benefit receiued Enuie Pride Couetousnesse Enuie looking more at others benefits than our owne Pride looking more at our selues than the benefit Couetousnesse looking more at what wee would haue than what we haue In good turnes I will neither respect the giuer nor my selfe nor the gift nor others but onely the intent and good will from whence it proceeded So shall I requite others great pleasures with equall good will and accept of small fauours with great thankfulnesse 24 Whereas the custome of the world is to hate things present to desire future and magnifie what is past I will contrarily esteeme that which is present best For both whar is past was once present and what is future will be present future things next because they are present in hope what is past least of all because it cannot be present yet somewhat because it was 25 We pitie the folly of the Larke which while it plaieth with the fether and stoopeth to the glasse is caught in the Fowlers net and yet cannot see our selues alike made fooles by Satan who deluding vs by the vaine feathers and glasses of the world suddenly enwrappeth vs in his snares We see not the nets indeed it is too much that we shall feele them and that they are not so easily escaped after as before auoided O Lord keepe thou mine eies from beholding vanity And though mine eies see it let not my heart stoope to it but loath it afarre off And if I stoope at any time and be taken set thou my soule at libertie that I may say My soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler the snare is broken and I am deliuered 26 In suffering euill to looke to secondary causes without respect to the highest maketh impatience For so we bite at the stone and neglect him that threw it If we take a blow at our equall we returne it with vsurie if of a Prince we repine not What matter is it if God kill me whether he doe it by an Ague or by the hand of a Tyrant Againe in expectation of good to looke to the first cause without care of the second argues idlenesse and causeth want As we cannot helpe our selues without God so God will not ordinarily helpe vs without our selues In both I will looke vp to God without repining at the meanes in one or trusting them in the other 27 If my money were another mans I could but keepe it onely the expending shewes it my owne It is greater glory comfort and gaine to lay it out well than to keepe it safely God hath made me not his Treasurer but his Steward 28 Augustines friend Nebridius not vniustly hated a short answer to a weighty and difficult question because the disquisition of great truths requires time and the determining is perillous I will as much hate a tedious and farre-fetched answer to a short and easie question For as that other wrongs the truth so this the hearer 29 Performance is a binder I will request no more fauour of any man than I must needs I will rather chuse to make an honest shift than ouer-much enthrall my selfe by being beholding 30 The World is a Stage euery man an actor and plaies his part here either in a Comedie or Tragedie The good man is a Comedian which how-euer he begins ends merrily but the wicked man acts a Tragedie and therefore euer ends in horrour Thou seest a wicked man vaunt himselfe on this stage stay till the last Act and looke to his end as Dauid did and see whether that be peace Thou wouldest make strange Tragedies if thou wouldest haue but one Act. Who sees an Oxe grazing in a fat and ranke pasture and thinkes not that he is neere to the slaughter whereas the leane beast that toyles vnder the yoke is farre enough from the Shambles The best wicked man cannot be so enuied in his first shewes as he is pitiable in the conclusion 31 Of all obiects of Beneficence I will chuse either an old man or a childe because these are most out of hope to requite The one forgets a good turne the other liues not to repay it 32 That which Pythagoras said of Philosophers is more true of Christians for Christianity is nothing but a diuine and better Philosophy Three sorts of men come to the Market buyers sellers lookers on The two first are both busie and carefully distracted about their Market onely the third liue happily vsing the world as if they vsed it not 33 There be three things which of all other I will neuer striue for the wall the
we are all fooles and in silence all are wise In the two former yet there may bee concealement of folly but the tongue is a blab there cannot be any kinde of folly either simple or wicked in the heart but the tongue will bewray it He cannot be wise that speakes much or without sense or out of season nor he knowne for a foole that saies nothing It is a great misery to be a foole but this is yet greater that a man cannot be a foole but he must shew it It were well for such a one if he could be taught to keepe close his foolishnes but then there should be no fooles I haue heard some which haue scorned the opinion of folly in themselues for a speech wherein they haue hoped to shew most wit censured of folly by him that hath thought himselfe wiser and another hearing his sentence againe hath condemned him for want of wit in censuring Surely hee is not a foole that hath vnwise thoughts but he that vtters them Euen concealed folly is wisdome and sometimes wisdome vttered is folly While others care how to speake my care shall be how to hold my peace 83 A worke is then onely good and acceptable when the action meaning and manner are all good For to doe good with an ill meaning as Iudas saluted Christ to betray him is so much more sinfull by how much the action is better which being good in the kinde is abused to an ill purpose To doe ill in a good meaning as Vzza in staying the Arke is so much amisse that the good intention cannot beare out the vnlawfull act which although it may seeme some excuse why it should not be so ill yet is no warrant to iustifie it To meane well and doe a good action in an ill manner as the Pharisee made a good praier but arrogantly is so offensiue that the euill manner depraueth both the other So a thing may be euill vpon one circumstance it cannot bee good but vpon all In what euer businesse I goe about I will enquire What I doe for the substance How for the manner Why for the intention For the two first I will consult with God for the last with my owne heart 84 I can doe nothing without a million of Witnesses The conscience is as a thousand witnesses and God is as a thousand consciences I will therefore so deale with men as knowing that God sees me and so with God as if the world saw me so with my selfe and both of them as knowing that my conscience seeth me and so with them all as knowing I am alwaies ouer-looked by my accuser by my Iudge 85 Earthly inheritances are diuided oft-times with much inequality The priuilege of primogeniture stretcheth larger in many places now than it did among the ancient Iewes The younger many times serues the elder and while the eldest aboundeth all the latter issue is pinched In heauen it is not so all the sonnes of God are heires none vnderlings and not heires vnder wardship and hope but inheritors and not inheritors of any little pittance of land but of a Kingdome nor of an earthly Kingdome subiect to danger of losse or alteration but one glorious and euerlasting It shall content me here that hauing right to all things yet I haue possession of nothing but sorrow Since I shall haue possession aboue of all that whereto I haue right below I will serue willingly that I may reigne serue for a while that I may reigne for euer 86 Euen the best things ill vsed become euils and contrarily the worst things vsed well proue good A good tongue vsed to deceit a good wit vsed to defend errour a strong arme to murther authority to oppresse a good profession to dissemble are all euill yea Gods owne Word is the sword of the Spirit which if it kill not our vices kils our soules Contrariwise as poisons are vsed to wholesome medicine afflictions and sinnes by a good vse proue so gainfull as nothing more Words are as they are taken and things are as they are vsed There are euen cursed blessings O Lord rather giue me no fauours than not grace to vse them If I want them thou requirest not what thou doest not giue but if I haue them and want their vse thy mercy proues my iudgement 87 Man is the best of all these inferiour creatures yet liues in more sorrow and discontentment than the worst of them whiles that Reason wherein he excels them and by which he might make aduantage of his life hee abuses to a suspitious distrust How many hast thou found of the fowles of the aire lying dead in the way for want of prouision They eat and rest and sing and want nothing Man which hath farre better meanes to liue comfortably toyleth and careth and wanteth whom yet his reason alone might teach that he which careth for these lower creatures made onely for man will much more prouide for man to whose vse they were made There is an holy carelesnesse free from idlenesse free from distrust In these earthly things I will so depend on my Maker that my trust in him may not exclude all my labour and yet so labour vpon my confidence on him as my endeuour may be void of perplexity 88 The precepts and practice of those with whom we liue auaile much on either part For a man not to bee ill where hee hath no prouocations to euill is lesse commendable but for a man to liue continently in Asia as he said where hee sees nothing but allurements to vncleannesse for Lot to be a good man in the middest of Sodom to bee abstemious in Germany and in Italy chaste this is truly praise-worthy To sequester our selues from the companie of the world that we may depart from their vices proceeds from a base and distrusting minde as if wee would so force goodnesse vpon our selues that therefore onely we would be good because we cannot be ill But for a man so to bee personally and locally in the throng of the world as to withdraw his affections from it to vse it and yet to contemne it at once to compell it to his seruice without any infection becomes well the noble courage of a Christian The world shall be mine I will not be his and yet so mine that his euill shall be still his owne 89 He that liues in God cannot be wearie of his life because he euer findes both somewhat to doe and somewhat to solace himselfe with cannot bee ouer-loth to part with it because hee shall enter into a neerer life and societie with that God in whom hee delighteth Whereas he that liues without him liues many times vncomfortably here because partly he knowes not any cause of ioy in himselfe and partly he finds not any worthy employment to while himselfe withall dies miserably because hee either knowes not whither he goes or knowes he goes to torment There is no true life but the life of faith O Lord let me
beneficence Vpon thy people largely spread PSALME 4. As the ten Commandements Attend my people THou witnesse of my truth sincere My God vnto my poore request Vouchsafe to lend thy gracious eare Thou hast my soule from thrall releast verse 2 Fauour me still and dâ—igne to heare Mine humble sute O wretched wights verse 3 How long will yee mine honour deare Turne into shame through your despights Still will ye loue what thing is vaine verse 4 And seeke false hopes know then at last That God hath chose and will maintaine His fauorite whom yee disgrac't God will regard my instant mone verse 5 Oh! tremble then and cease offending And on your silent bed alone Talke with your hearts your waies amending verse 6 Offer the truest sacrifice Of broken hearts on God besetting verse 7 Your onely trust The most deuise The waies of worldly treasure getting But thou O Lord lift vp to me The light of that sweet looke of thine verse 8 So shall my soule more gladsome be Than theirs with all their corne and wine verse 9 So I in peace shall lay me downe And on my bed take quiet sleepe Whiles thou O Lord shalt me alone From dangers all securely keepe PSALME 5. In the tune of 124. Psalme Now Israel may say c. BOw downe thine eare Lord to these words of mine And well regard the secret plaints I make verse 2 My King my God to thee I doe betake My sad estate oh doe thine eare incline To these loud cries that to thee powred bin verse 3 At early morne thou shalt my voice attend For at day breake I will my selfe addresse Thee to implore and wait for due redresse verse 4 Thou dost not Lord delight in wickednesse Nor to bad men wilt thy protection lend verse 5 The boasters proud cannot before thee stay Thou hat'st all those that are to sinne deuoted verse 6 The lying lips and who with bloud are spotted Thou doest abhorre and wilt for euer slay verse 7 But I vnto thine house shall take the way And through thy grace abundant shall adore With humble feare within thy holy place verse 8 Oh! lead me Lord within thy righteous trace Euen for their sakes that malice me so sore Make smooth thy paths my dimmer eies before verse 9 Within their mouth no truth is euer found Pure mischiefe is their heart a gaving toome verse 10 Is their wide throat and yet their tongues still sound verse 11 With smoothing words O Lord giue them their doome And let them fall in those their plots profound In their excesse of mischiefe them destroy verse 12 That Rebels are so those that to thee flie Shall all reioyce and sing eternally verse 13 And whom thou dost protect and who loue thee And thy deare name in thee shall euer ioy Since thou with blisse the righteous dost reward And with thy grace as with a shield him guard PSALME 6. As the 50. Psalme The mighty God c. LEt me not Lord be in thy wrath reproued Oh! scourge me not when thy fierce wrath is moued verse 2 Pity me Lord that doe with languor pine Heale me whose bones with paine dissolued bin verse 3 Whose weary soule is vexed aboue measure Oh Lord how long shall I bide thy displeasure verse 4 Turne thee O Lord rescue my soule distrest verse 5 And saue me of thy grace 'Mongst those that rest In silent death can none remember thee And in the graue how shouldst thou praised be verse 6 Weary with sighes All night I caus'd my bed To swim with teares my couch I watered verse 7 Deepe sorrow hath consum'd my dimmed eyne Sunke in with griefe at these lewd foes of mine verse 8 But now hence hence vaine plotters of mine ill The Lord hath heard my lamentations shrill verse 9 God heard my suit and still attends the same verse 10 Blush now my foes and flie with sudden shame PSALME 7. As the 112. Psalme The man is blest that God c. ON thee O Lord my God relies My onely trust from bloudy spight Of all my raging enemies Oh! let thy mercy me acquite verse 2 Lest they like greedy Lyons rend My soule while none shall it defend verse 3 O Lord if I this thing haue wrought If in my hands be found such ill verse 4 If I with mischiefe euer sought To pay good turnes or did not still Doe good vnto my causelesse foe That thirsted for my ouerthrow verse 5 Then let my foe in eager chace Ore-take my soule and proudly tread My life below and with disgrace In dust lay downe mine honour dead verse 6 Rise vp in rage O Lord eft-soone Aduance thine arme against my foâ—ne And wake for me till thou fulfill verse 7 My promis'd right so shall glad throngs Of people flocke vnto thine hill For their sakes then reuenge my wrong's verse 8 And râ—use thy selfe Thy iudgements be O're all the world Lord iudge thou me As truth and honest innocence Thou find'st in me Lord iudge thou me verse 9 Settle the iust with sure defence Let me the wicked's malice see verse 10 Brought to an end For thy iust eye Doth heart and inward reynes descry verse 11 My safety stands in God who shields The sound in heart whose doome each day verse 12 To iust men and contemners yeelds verse 13 Their due Except he change his way His sword is whet to bloud intended His murdering Bow is ready bended verse 14 Weapons of death he hath addrest And arrowes keene to pierce my foe verse 15 Who late bred mischiefe in his brest But when he doth on trauell goe verse 16 Brings forth a lie deepe pits doth delue And fals into his pits himselue verse 17 Backe to his owne head shall rebound His plotted mischiefe and his wrongs verse 18 His crowne shall craze But I shall sound Iehouah's praise with thankfull songs And will his glorious name expresse And tell of all his righteousnesse PSALME 8. As the 113. Psalme Yee children which c. HOw noble is thy mighty Name O Lord o're all the worlds wide frame Whose glory is aduanc't on high Aboue the rowling heauens racke verse 2 How for the gracelesse scorners sake To still th' auenging enemy Hast thou by tender infants tongue The praise of thy great Name made strong While they hang sucking on the brest verse 3 But when I see the heauens bright The moone and glittering starres of night By thine almighty hand addrest verse 4 Oh! what is man poore silly man That thou so mind'st him and dost daine To looke at his vnworthy seed verse 5 Thou hast him set not much beneath Thine Angels bright and with a wreath Of glory hast adorn'd his head verse 6 Thou hast him made high soueraigne verse 7 Of all thy works and stretcht his raigne Vnto the heards and beasts vntame verse 8 To Fowles and to the scaly traine That glideth through the watry Maine verse 9 How noble each-where is thy Name PSALME 9. To the
top-saile another to the maine a third to the plummet a fourth to the anchor as hee sees the need of their course and weather requires and doth no lesse by his tongue than all the Marriners with their hands On the Bench he is another from himselfe at home now all priuate respects of bloud alliance amity are forgotten and if his owne Sonne come vnder tryall hee knowes him not Pity which in all others is wont to be the best praise of humanity and the fruit of Christian loue is by him throwne ouer the barre for corruption as for Fauour the false Aduocate of the gracious he allowes him not to appeare in the Court there only causes are heard speake not persons Eloquence is then only not discouraged when she serues for a Client of truth meere narrations are allowed in this Oratory not Proems not excursions not Glosses Truth must strip her selfe and come in naked to his barre without false bodies or colors without disguises A bride in his Closet or a letter on the Bench or the whispering and winks of a great neighbour are answered with an angry and couragious repulse Displeasure Reuenge Recompence stand on both sides the Bench but he scornes to turne his eye towards them looking onely right forward at Equity which stands full before him His sentence is euer deliberate and guided with ripe wisdome yet his hand is slower than his tongue but when he is vrged by occasion either to doome or execution he shewes how much he hateth mercifull iniustice neither can his resolution or act be reuersed with partiall importunitie His forehead is rugged and seuere able to discountenance villany yet his words are more awfull than his brow and his hand than his words I know not whether he be more feared or loued both affections are so sweetly contempered in all hearts The good feare him louingly the middle sort loue him fearefully and only the wicked man feares him slauishly without loue He hates to pay priuate wrongs with the aduantage of his Office and if euer he be partiall it is to his enemy He is not more sage in his gowne than valorous in armes and increaseth in the rigour of discipline as the times in danger His sword hath neither rusted for want of vse nor surfetteth of bloud but after many threats is vnsheathed as the dreadfull instrument of diuine reuenge He is the Guard of good lawes the Refuge of innocency the Comet of the guilty the Pay-master of good deserts the Champion of iustice the Patron of peace the Tutor of the Church the Father of his Countrey and as it were another God vpon earth Of the Penitent HE hath a wounded heart and a sad face yet not so much for feare as for vnkindnesse The wrong of his sinne troubles him more than the danger None but he is the better for his sorrow neither is any passion more hurtfull to others than this is gainfull to him The more he seekes to hide his griefe the lesse it will bee hid Euery man may reade it not onely in his eyes but in his bones Whiles hee is in charity with all others he is so falne out with himselfe that none but God can reconcile him He hath sued himselfe in all Courts accuseth arraigneth sentenceth punisheth himselfe vnpartially and sooner may finde mercy at any hand than at his owne He onely hath pulled off the faire vizor of sinne so as that appeares not but masked vnto others is seene of him barefac'd and bewraies that fearefull vglinesse which none can conceiue but he that hath viewed it Hee hath lookt into the depth of the bottomlesse pit and hath seene his owne offence tormented in others and the same brands shaken at him He hath seene the change of faces in that euill one as a tempter as a tormenter and hath heard the noise of a conscience and is so frighted with all these that he can neuer haue rest till he haue runne out of himselfe to God in whose face at first hee findes rigour but afterwards sweetnesse in his bosome He bleeds first from the hand that heales him The Law of God hath made worke for mercy which he hath no sooner apprehended than he forgets his wounds and looks carelesly vpon all these terrors of guiltinesse When he casts his eye backe vpon himselfe he wonders where he was and how he came there and grants that if there were not some witchcraft in sinne he could not haue beene so sottishly gracelesse And now in the issue Satan findes not without indignation and repentance that hee hath done him a good turne in tempting him For he had neuer beene so good if he had not sinned he had neuer fought with such courage if he had not seene his bloud and beene ashamed of his foile Now hee is seene and felt in the front of the spirituall battell and can teach others how to fight and incourage them in fighting His heart was neuer more taken vp with the pleasure of sinne than now with care of auoiding it The very sight of that cup wherein such a fulsome potion was brought him turnes his stomacke the first offers of sinne make him tremble more now than he did before at the iudgements of his sinne neither dares he so much as looke towards Sodom All the powers and craft of hell cannot fetch him in for a customer to euill his infirmity may yeeld once his resolution neuer There is none of his senses or parts which hee hath not within couenants for their good behauiour which they cannot euer breake with impunity The wrongs of his sinne he repaies to men with recompence as hating it should be said he owes any thing to his offence to God what in him lies with sighs teares vowes and endeuours of amendment No heart is more waxen to the impressions of forgiuenesse neither are his hands more open to receiue than to giue pardon All the iniuries which are offered to him are swallowed vp in his wrongs to his Maker and Redeemer neither can hee call for the arrerages of his farthings when he lookes vpon the millions forgiuen him he feeles not what he suffers from men when he thinks of what hee hath done and should haue suffered He is a thankfull Herauld of the mercies of his God which if all the world heare not from his mouth it is no fault of his Neither did hee so burne with the euill fires of concupiscence as now with the holy flames of zeale to that glory which hee hath blemished and his eies are full of moisture as his heart of heat The gates of heauen are not so knockt at by any suter whether for frequence or importunitie You shall finde his cheekes furrowed his knees hard his lips sealed vp saue when he must accuse himselfe or glorifie God his eies humbly deiected and sometimes you shall take him breaking off a sigh in the midst as one that would steale an humiliation vnknowne and would be offended with any part that should not
Pr. 16.11 Pr. 15.9 Pr. 12.26 Pr. 28.6 Pr. 20.7 THe vprightnesse of the iust shall guide them and direct their way which is euer plaine and straight whereas the way of others is peruerted and strange Yea as to doe iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice so it is a ioy to the iust himselfe to doe iudgement all his labour therefore tendeth to life he knoweth the cause of the poore and will haue care of his soule His worke is right neither intendeth he any euill against his neighbour seeing he dwelleth by him without feare and what loseth he by this As the true balance and the weight are of the Lord and all the weights of the bagge are his worke So God loueth him that followeth righteousnesse and with men The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour and Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse than hee that peruerteth his waies though he be rich Yea finally The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed §. 9. Deceit The kindes Coloured Direct Priuate Publike The iudgement attending it Pr. 16.18 COntrary to this is Deceit whether in a colour As he that faineth himselfe mad casteth fire-brands Pr. 26.19 arrowes and mortall things so dealeth the deceitfull man and saith Am I not in sport As this deceit is in the heart of them that imagine euill so in their hands are Diuers weights and diuers balances or directly Pr. 12.10 Pr. 10.10 Pr. 29.24 Pr. 1.19 Ec. 3.16 Ec. 3.17 Pr. 12.27 Pr. 20.17 Hee that is partner with a theefe hateth his owne soule and dangerous are the waies of him that is greedy of gaine much more publiquely I haue seene the place of iudgement where was wickednesse and the place of iustice where was iniquitie I thought in mine heart God will iudge the iust and the wicked yea oft-times speedily so as The deceitfull man rosteth not what he tooke in hunting or if he eat it The bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with grauell §. 9. Loue To God rewarded with his loue with his blessings To men In passing by offences In doing good to our enemies LOue to God I loue them that loue me and they that seeke mee early Pr. 8.17 Pr. 8.21 shall finde me and with me blessings I cause them that loue mee to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures 2. To men 1. In passing by offences Pr. 10.12 Hatred stirreth vp contentions but loue couereth all trespasses and the shame that rises from them Pr. 12.16 Pr. 17.9 Pr. 15.21 so that hee onely that couereth a transgression seeketh loue 2. In doing good to our enemies If hee that hateth thee be hungry giue him bread to eat and if he bee thirstie giue him water to drinke Here therefore doe offend 1. the contentious 2. the enuious §. 10. The contentious whether in raising ill rumors or whether by pressing matters too farre THe first is hee that raiseth contentions among brethren which once raised Pr. 6.19 Pr. 18.19 are not so soone appeased A brother offended is harder to winne than a strong Citie and their contentions are like the barre of a Palace Pr. 16.29 This is that violent man that deceiueth his neighbour and leadeth him into the way which is not good Pr. 18.6 Pr. 26.21 the way of discord whether by ill rumors The fooles lips come with strife and as the coale maketh burning coales and wood a fire so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife and that euen among great ones A froward person soweth strife and a tale-bearer maketh diuision among Princes or by pressing matters too farre When one churneth milke Pr. 16.28 Pr. 30.33 he bringeth forth butter and he that wringeth his nose causeth bloud to come out so he that forceth wrath bringeth forth strife the end whereof is neuer good Pr. 29.9 for if a wise man contend with a foolish man whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest §. 11. Enuy The kindes At our neighbour At the wicked The effects to others It selfe THe second is that iustice whereby the soule of the wicked wisheth euill Pr. 21.10 Pr. 24.17 and his neighbour hath no fauour in his eies that moueth him to bee glad when his enemie falleth and his heart to reioice when he stumbleth and this is a violent euill Pr. 14.30 1. To it selfe A sound heart is the life of the flesh but enuie is the rotting of the bones 2. To others Anger is cruell and wrath is raging but who can stand before enuie Pr. 27.4 But of all other it is most vniust when it is set vpon an euill subiect Pr. 24.20 Pr. 3.31 Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious neither be enuious at the wicked nor chuse any of his waies neither let thine heart be enuious against sinners Pr. 23.17 Pr. 24.1 Pr. 24.2 Pr. 3.32 Pr. 24.20 nor desire to be with them for as their heart imagineth destruction and their lips speake mischiefe so the froward is an abomination to the Lord and there shall be none end of the plagues of the euill man and his light shall be put out §. 12. Iustice to man onely First to others 1. in Mercy The quality The gaine of it Pr. 3.3 Pr. 21.13 Pr. 12.10 Pr. 16.6 Pr. 3.4 LEt not mercy and truth forsake thee binde them on thy necke and write them vpon the table of thine heart this suffereth not to stop thine care at the cry of the poore yea the righteous man regardeth the life of his beast no vertue is more gainfull for By mercy and truth iniquity shall bee forgiuen and By this thou shalt finde fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man Good reason For he honoreth God Pr. 14.31 that hath mercy on the poore yea he makes God his debter He that hath mercy on the poore Pr. 19.17 Pr. 11.17 Pr. 21.21 Pr. 14.21 lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him So that The mercifull man rewardeth his owne soule for He that followeth righteousnesse and mercy shall finde righteousnesse and life and glory and therefore is blessed for euer §. 13. Against mercy offend 1. Vnmercifulnesse 2. Oppression 3. Bloud-thirstinesse Pr. 22.7 Pr. 14.20 Pr. 19.7 1. THat not only the rich ruleth the poore but that the poore is hated of his owne neighbour whereas the friends of the rich are many Of his neighbour Yea all the brethren of the poore hate him how much more will his friends depart from him though he be instant with words yet they will not Pr. 30.14 Pr. 22.16 2. There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and their iawes as kniues to eat vp the afflicted out of the earth These are they that oppresse the poore to increase themselues Pr. 22.22 Pr. 25.20 and giue to the rich that rob the poore because he is poore
nature veniall and not worthy of death more that our originall sinne is but the want of our first iustice no guilt of our first fathers offence no inherent ill disposition and that by Baptismall water is taken away what euer hath the nature of sinne that a meere man let mee not wrong Saint Peters successor in so tearming him hath power to remit both punishment and sinne past and future that many haue suffered more then their sinnes haue required that the sufferings of the Saints added to Christs passions make vp the treasure of the Church that spirituall Exchequer whereof their Bishop must keepe the key and make his friends In all these the gaine of Nature who sees not is Gods losse all her brauery is stolne from aboue besides those other direct derogations from him that his Scriptures are not sufficient that their originall fountaines are corrupted and the streames runne clearer that there is a multitude if a finite number of Mediators Turne your eyes now to vs and see contrarily how we abase Nature how wee knead her in the dust spoiling her of her proud rags loading her with reproaches and giuing glory to him that sayes he will not giue it to another whiles we teach that we neither haue good nor can doe good of our selues that we are not sicke or fettered but dead in our sinne that we cannot moue to good more then we are moued that our best actions are faulty our satisfactions debts our deserts damnation that all our merit is his mercy that saues vs that euery of our sinnes is deadly euery of our natures originally depraued and corrupted that no water can entirely wash away the filthinesse of our concupiscence that none but the blood of him that was God can cleanse vs that all our possible sufferings are below our offences that Gods written Word is all-sufficient to informe vs to make vs both wise and perfect that Christs mediation is more then sufficient to saue vs his sufferings to redeeme vs his obedience to inrich vs. You haue seene how Papistry makes Nature proud now see how it makes her lawlesse and wanton while it teacheth yet this one not so vniuersally that Christ dyed effectually for all that in true contrition an expresse purpose of new life is not necessarie that wicked men are true members of the Church that a lewd mis-creant or infidell in the businesse of the Altar partakes of the true body and blood of Christ yea which a shame to tell a brute creature that men may saue the labour of searching for that it is both easie and safe with that Catholike Collier to beleeue with the Church at a venture more then so that deuotion is the seed of ignorance that there is infallabilitie annexed to a particular place and person that the bare act of the Sacraments confers grace without faith that the meere signe of the Crosse made by a Iew or Infidell is of force to driue away Diuels that the sacrifice of the Masse in the very worke wrought auailes to obtaine pardon of our sinnes not in our life onely but when we lye frying in purgatory that we need not pray in faith to be heard or in vnderstanding that almes giuen merit heauen dispose to iustification satisfie God for sinne that abstinence from some meats and drinkes is meritorious that Indulgences may be granted to dispense vvith all the penance of sinnes afterward to bee committed that these by a liuing man may be applyed to the dead that one man may deliuer anothers soule out of his purging torments and therefore that hee who vvants not either money or friends need not feare the smart of his sinnes O religion sweet to the wealthy to the needy desperate who will now care henceforth how sound his deuotions be how lewd his life how hainous his sinnes that knowes these refuges On the contrary we curbe Nature we restraine we discourage we threaten her teaching her not to rest in implicit faiths or generall intensions or external actions of piety or presumptuous dispensations of men but to striue vnto sincere faith without which we haue no part in Christ in his Church no benefit by Sacraments prayers fastings beneficences to set the heart on worke in all our deuotions without which the hand and tongue are but hypocrites to set the hands on worke in good actions without which the presuming heart is but an hypocrite to expect no pardon for sinne before we commit it and from Christ alone when wee haue committed it and to repent before we expect it to hope for no chaffering no ransome of our soules from below no contrary change of estate after dissolution that life is the time of mercy death of retribution Now let me appeale to your soule and to the iudgement of all the vvorld whether of these two religions is framed to the humour of Nature yea let mee but know vvhat action Popery requires of any of her followers which a meere Naturalist hath not done cannot doe See how I haue chosen to beat them with that rod wherewith they thinke we haue so often smarted for what cauill hath beene more ordinary against vs then this of ease and liberty yea licence giuen and taken by our religion together with the vpbraidings of their owne strict and rigorous austerenesse Where are our penall workes our fastings scourges haire-cloth weary pilgrimages blushing confessions solemne vowes of willing beggery and perpetuall continencie To doe them right we yeeld in all the hard workes of will-worship they goe beyond vs but lest they should insult in the victory not so much as the Priests of Baal went beyond them I see their whips shew me their kniues Where did euer zealous Romanist lance and carue his flesh in deuotion The Baalites did it and yet neuer the wiser neuer the holier Either therefore this zeale in workes of their owne deuising makes them not better then we or it makes the Baalites better then they let them take their choise Alas these difficulties are but a colour to auoid greater No no to worke out stubborne wils to subiection to draw this vntoward flesh to a sincere cheerefulnesse in Gods seruice to reach vnto a sound beliefe in the Lord Iesus to pray with a true heart without distraction without distrust without mis-conceit to keepe the heart in continuall awe of God These are the hard tasks of a Christian worthy of our sweat worthy of our reioycing all which that Babylonish religion shifteth off with a carelesse fashionablenesse as if it had not to doe with the soule Giue vs obedience let them take sacrifice Doe you yet looke for more euidence looke into particulars and satisfie your selfe in Gods decision as Optatus aduised of old Since the goods of our father are in question whither should we goe but to his Will and Testament My soule beare the danger of this bold assertion If we erre wee erre with Christ and his Apostles In a word against all staggering our Sauiours rule
Gods ancient law would haue made a quicke dispatch and haue determined the case by the death of the offender and the liberty of the innocent and not it alone How many Heathen Law-giuers haue subscribed to Moses Arabians Grecians Romans yea very Gothes the dregs of Barbarisme haue thought this wrong not expiable but by blood With vs the easinesse of reuenge as it yeelds frequence of offences so multitude of doubts Whether the wronged husband should conceale or complaine complaining whether he should retaine or dismisse dismissing whether he may marry or must continue single not continuing single whether he may receiue his own or chuse another but your inquiries shall be my bounds The fact you say is too euident Let me aske you To your selfe or to the world This point alone must vary our proceedings Publike notice requires publike discharge Priuate wrongs are in our owne power publike in the hands of authority The thoughts of our owne brests while they smother themselues within vs are at our command whether for suppressing or expressing but if they once haue vented themselues by words vnto others eares now as common strayes they must stand to the hazard of censure such are our actions Neither the sword nor the keyes meddle within doores what but they vvithout If fame haue laid hold on the wrong prosecute it cleere your name cleere your house yea Gods Else you shall be reputed a Pandar to your owne bed and the second shame shall surpasse the first so much as your owne fault can more blemish you then anothers If there were no more he is cruelly mercifull that neglects his owne fame But what if the sinne were shrouded in secrecy The loathsomnesse of vice consists not in common knowledge It is no lesse hainous if lesse talked of Report giues but shame God and the good soule detest close euils Yet then I ask not of the offence but of the offender not of her crime but her repentance She hath sinned against heauen and you But hath she washed your polluted bed with her teares Hath her true sorrow beene no lesse apparant then her sinne Hath she peeced her old vow with new protestations of fidelity Do you find her at once humbled and changed Why should that eare be deafe to her prayers that was open to her accusation why is there not yet place for mercy Why doe we Christians liue as vnder Martiall law wherein we sinne but once Plead not authority Ciuilians haue beene too rigorous the mercifull sentence of Diuinity shal sweetly temper humane seuereness How many haue we known the better for their sinne That Magdalene her predecessor in filthinesse had neuer loued so much if she had not so much sinned How oft hath Gods Spouse deserued a diuorce which yet still her confessions her teares haue reuersed How oft hath that scroll beene written and signed and yet againe cancelled and torne vpon submission His actions not his words onely are our precepts Why is man cruell where God relents The wrong is ours onely for his sake without whose law were no sinne If the Creditor please to remit the debt doe standers-by complaine But if she be at once filthy and obstinate flie from her bed as contagious Now your beneuolence is adultery you impart your body to her she her sinne to you A dangerous exchange An honest body for an harlots sinne Herein you are in cause that she hath more then one adulterer I applaud the rigour of those ancient Canons which haue still roughly censured euen this cloake of vice As there is necessity of charity in the former so of iustice in this If you can so loue your wife that you detest not her sin you are a better husband then a Christian a better bawd then an husband I dare say no more vpon so generall a relation good Physitians in dangerous diseases dare not prescribe on bare sight of vrine or vncertaine report but will feele the pulse and see the symptomes ere they resolue on the receit You see how no niggard I am of my counsels would God I could as easily asswage your griefe as satisfie your doubts To M. ROBERT HAY. EPIST. VIII A Discourse of the continuall exercise of a Christian how he may keepe his heart from hardnesse and his wayes from error TO keepe the heart in vre with God is the highest taske of a Christian Good motions are not frequent but the constancy of good disposition is rare and hard This worke must be continuall or else speedeth not like as the body from a setled and habituall distemper must be recouered by long diets and so much the rather for that we cannot intermit here without relapses If this field be not tilled euery day it will runne out into thistles The euening is fittest for this worke when retyred into our selues we must cheerefully and constantly both looke vp to God and into our hearts as we haue to doe with both to God in thanksgiuing first then in request It shall be therefore expedient for the soule duly to recount to it selfe all the specialties of Gods fauours a confused thankes fauours of carelesnesse and neither doth affect vs nor win acceptance aboue Bethinke your selfe then of all these externall inferiour earthly graces that your being breathing life motion reason is from him that hee hath giuen you a more noble nature then the rest of the creatures excellent faculties of the mind perfection of senses soundnesse of body competency of estate seemlinesse of condition fitnesse of calling preseruation from dangers rescue out of miseries kindnesse of friends carefulnesse of education honesty of reputation liberty of recreations quietnesse of life opportunity of well-doing protection of Angels Then rise higher to his spirituall fauours tho here on earth and striue to raise your affections with your thoughts Blesse God that you were borne in the light of the Gospell for your profession of the truth for the honor of your vocation for your incorporating into the Church for the priuiledge of the Sacraments the free vse of the Scriptures the communion of Saints the benefit of their prayers the ayde of their counsels the pleasure of their conuersation for the beginnings of regeneration any foot-steps of faith hope loue zeale patience peace ioy conscionablenesse for any desire of more Then let your soule mount highest of all into her heauen and acknowledge those celestiall graces of her election to glory redemption from-shame and death of the intercession of her Sauiour of the preparation of her place and there let her stay a while vpon the meditation of her future ioyes This done the way is made for your request Sue now to your God as for grace to answer these mercies so to see wherein you haue not answered them From him therefore cast your eyes downe vpon your selfe and as some carefull Iusticer doth a suspected fellon so doe you strictly examine your heart of what you haue done that day of what you should haue done enquire whether
nothing rather then what we ought O minds brutishly sensuall Doe they thinke that God made them for disport who euen in his Paradise would not allow pleasure without vvorke And if for businesse either of body or minde Those of the body are commonly seruile like it selfe The minde therefore the mind onely that honorable and diuine part is fittest to be imployed of those vvhich vvould reach to the highest perfection of men and vvould be more then the most And what vvorke is there of the minde but the trade of a scholar study Let me therefore fasten this probleme on our Schoole-gates and challenge all commers in the defence of it that No Scholar cannot be truely noble And if I make it not good let me neuer be admitted further then to the subiect of our question Thus we do vvell to congratulate to our selues our own happinesse if others will come to vs it shall be our comfort but more theirs if not it is enough that we can ioy in our selues and in him in whom we are that we are To Mr J. P. EP. IV. A discourse of the increase of Popery of the Oath of Allegeance and the iust sufferings of those which haue refused it YOu say your religion dayly winneth Bragge not of your gaine you neither need nor can if you consider how it gets and whom How but by cunning sleights false suggestions impudent vntruths Who cannot thus preuaile against a quiet and innocent aduersarie Whom but silly women or men notoriously debauched A spoyle fit for such a conquest for such Victors We are the fewer not the worse if all our licentious hypocrites vvere yours wee should not complaine and you might be the prouder not the better Glory you in this triumph free from our enuy who know we haue lost none but by whom you saue nothing either loose or simple It were pity that you should not forgoe some in a better exchange The sea neuer incroacheth vpon our shore but it loseth else-where some we haue happily fetcht into the fold of our Church out of your wasts some others though few and scarce a number vvee haue sent into their heauen Among these your late second Garnet liu'd to proclaime himselfe a Martyr and by dying perswaded Poore man how happy were he if he might be his owne Iudge That which gaue him confidence vvould giue him glory you beleeue and wel-nere adore him That fatall cord of his was too little for reliques though diuided into Mathematicke quantities Whither cannot conceit lead vs vvhether for his resolution or your credulitie His death vvas fearlesse I commend his stomack not his minde How many malefactors haue wee knowne that haue laughed vpon their executioner and iested away their last vvinde You might know It is not long since our Norfolke Arrian leapt at his stake How oft haue you learned in martyrdome to regard not the death but the cause Else there should be no difference in guilt and innocence error and truth What then Died hee for Religion This had bin but your owne measure we endured your flames which these gibbets could not acquit But dare impudency it selfe affirme it Not for meere shame against the euidence of so many tongues eares records Your prosperitie your numbers argue enough that a man may be a Papist in Britaine and liue If treason be your religion vvho will vvonder that it is capitall Defie that Deuill vvhich hath mockt you with this madde opinion that treacherie is holinesse deuotion crueltie and disobedience I foresee your euasion Alas it is easie for a spightfull construction to fetch religion within this compasse and to say the swelling of the Foxes forehead is a horne Nay then let vs fetch some honest Heathen to be Iudge betwixt vs Meere nature in him shall speake vnpartially of both To hold and perswade that a Christian King may yea must at the Popes will be dethroaned and murdered is it the voice of treason or religion And if traiterous vvhether flatly or by mis-inferring Besides his practices for this he died witnesse your own Catholikes O God if this be religion what can be villany Who euer dyed a Malefactor if this be martyrdom If this position be meritorious of heauen hell is feared in vaine O holy Scillae Marij Catilines Cades Lopezes Gowries Vawxes and who euer haue conspired against lawfull Maiestie all Martyrs of Rome all Saints of Beckets heauen How vvell do those palmes of celestiall triumph become hands red with the sacred blood of Gods anointed I am ashamed to thinke that humanitie should nourish such monsters whether of men or opinions But you defie this sauage factiousnesse this deuotion of deuils and honestly vvish both God and Caesar his owne I praise your moderation but if you be true let me yet search you Can a man be a perfect Papist vvithout this opinion against it If he may then your Garnet and Drurie died not for religion if he may not then Poperie is treason Chuse now vvhether you will leaue your Martyrs or your Religion What you hold of merit free-wil transubstantiation inuocation of Saints false adoration supremacy of Rome no man presses no man inquires your present inquisition your former examples would teach vs mercy will not let vs learne The only question is Whether our King may liue and rule whether you may refraine from his blood and not sinne Would you haue a man denie this and not die Would you haue a man thus dying honored Dare you approue that religion which defends the fact canonizes the person I heare your answer from that your great Champion which not many dayes since with one blow hath driuen out three not slight vvedges That not Ciuill obedience is stood vpon The iudgement of a Catholike English-man banished c. concerning the Apology of the Oath of Allegeance intituled Triplici nâ—do c. but Positiue doctrine That you are readie to sweare for the Kings safetie not against the Popes authoritie King IAMES must liue and raigne but Paulus Quintus must rule and be obeyed and better were it for you to die then your sworne allegeance should preiudice the Sea Apostolike An elusion fit for children What is to dally if not this As if he said The King shall liue vnlesse the Pope will not That hee shall not be discrowned deposed massacred by your hands vnlesse your holy Father should command But I aske as vvho should not What if he do command What if your Paulus Quintus should breathe out like his predecessors not threatnings but strong bellowings of Excommunications of deposition of Gods anointed What if hee shall command after that French fashion the throats of all Heretikes to bleed in a night Pardon you in this Now it is growne a point of doctrinall Diuinitie to determine how farre the power of Peters successor may extend You may neither sweare nor say your hands shall not bee steep't in the blood of your true Soueraigne and to die rather then sweare it is martyrdome But
secrecie haue abridged themselues of dyet cloathing lodging harbour fit for reasonable creatures seeming to haue left off themselues no lesse then companions As if the world were not euery where as if wee could hide our selues from the Diuell as if solitarinesse were priuiledged from Temptations as if we did not more violently affect restrained delights as if these Ieromes did not finde Rome in their heart when they had nothing but rocks and trees in their eye Hence these places of retirednesse founded at first vpon necessity mixt vvith deuotion haue proued infamously vncleane Cels of lust not of pietie This course is preposterous if I were worthy to teach you a better way learne to be an Hermite at home Begin with your owne heart estrange and weane it from the loue not from the vse of the world Christianitie hath taught vs nothing if we haue not learned this distinction It is a great weaknesse not to see but we must be inamoured Elisha saw the secret state of the Syrian Court yet as an enemy The blessed Angels see our earthly affaires but as strangers Moses his bodie was in the Court of Pharaoh amongst the delicate Egyptians his heart was suffering vvith the afflicted Israelites Lot tooke part of the faire medowes of Sodom not of their sinnes Our blessed Sauiour saw the glory of all Kingdomes and contemned them and cannot the vvorld looke vpon vs Christians but wee are bewitched We see the Sunne dayly and warme vs at his beames yet make not an Idol of it doth any man hide his face lest he should adore it All our safety or danger therefore is from within In vaine is the body an Auachoret if the heart be a Ruffian And if that bee retired in affections the body is but a Cipher Lo then the eyes will looke carelesly and strangely on what they see and the tongue will sometimes answer to that was not asked Wee eate and recreate because we must not because we would and when we are pleased wee are suspitious Lawfull delights wee neither refuse nor dote vpon and all contentments goe and come like strangers That all this may be done take vp your heart with better thoughts be sure it will not be empty if heauen haue fore-stalled all the roomes the vvorld is disappointed and either dares not offer or is repulsed Fixe your selfe vpon the glory of that eternitie vvhich abides your after this short pilgrimage You cannot but contemne what you finde in comparison of what you expect Leaue not till you attaine to this that you are willing to liue because you cannot as yet be dissolued Bee but one halfe vpon earth let your better part conuerse aboue whence it is and inioy that whereto it was ordained Thinke how little the World can doe for you and what it doth how deceitfully what stings there are with this Honey what Farewell succeeds this Welcome When this Iael brings you milke in the one hand know she hath a nayle in the other Aske your heart what it is the better what the merier for all those pleasures wherewith it hath befriended you let your owne tryall teach you contempt Thinke how sincere how glorious those ioyes are which abide you elsewhere and a thousand times more certaine though future then the present And let not these thoughts be flying but fixed In vaine doe we meditate if we resolue not when your heart is once thus setled it shall command all things to aduantage The World shall not betray but serue it and that shall bee fulfilled which God promises by his Salomon When the wayes of a man please the Lord he will make his enemies also at peace with him Sir this aduice my pouertie afforded long since to a weake friend I write it not to you any otherwise then as Schollers are wont to say their part to their Masters The world hath long and iustly both noted and honoured you for eminence in wisedome and learning and I aboue the most I am ready with the awe of a Learner to imbrace all precepts from you you shall expect nothing from me but Testimonies of respect and thankfulnesse To Sir GEORGE FLEETWOOD EP. III. Of the remedies of sinne and motiues to auoid it THere is none either more common or more troublesome guest then Sinne. Troublesome both in the solicitation of it and in the remorse Before the act it wearies vs with a wicked importunitie after the act it torments vs with feares and the painfull gnawings of an accusing Conscience Neither is it more irkesome to men then odious to God who indeed neuer hated any thing but it and for it any thing How happy were we if we could be rid of it This must be our desire but cannot bee our hope so long as we carry this body of sinne and death about vs yet which is our comfort it shall not cary vs though we carie it It will dwell with vs but with no command yea with no peace We grudge to giue it house-roome but wee hate to giue it seruice This our Hagar wil abide many strokes ere she be turned out of doores she shall goe at last and the seed of promise shall inherit alone There is no vnquietnesse good but this and in this case quietnesse cannot stand with safety neither did euer warre more truely beget peace then in this strife of the soule Resistance is the way to victorie and that to an eternall peace and happinesse It is a blessed care then how to resist sinne how to auoid it and such as I am glad to teach and learne As there are two grounds of all sinne so of the auoidance of sinne Loue and Feare These if they be placed amisse cause vs to offend if right are the remedies of euill The Loue must be of God Feare of iudgement As he loues much to whom much is forgiuen so he that loues much will not dare to doe that which may need forgiuenesse The heart that hath felt the sweetnesse of Gods mercies will not abide the bitter rellish of sinne This is both a stronger motiue then Feare and more Noble None but a good heart is capable of this grace which who so hath receiued thus powerfully repels tentations Haue I found my God so gracious to me that he hath denied me nothing either in earth or heauen and shall not I so much as deny my owne will for his sake Hath my deare Sauiour bought my soule at such a price and shall he not haue it Was he crucified for my sinnes and shall I by my sinnes crucifie him againe Am I his in so many bonds and shall I serue the Diuell O God! is this the fruit of thy beneficence to me that I should wilfully dishonor thee Was thy blood so little worth that I should tread it vnder my feet Doth this become him that shall be once glorious with thee Hast thou prepared heauen for me and doe I thus prepare my selfe for heauen Shall I thus recompence thy loue in doing that
which thou hatest Satan hath no Dart I speake confidently that can pierce this shield Christians are indeed too oft surprized ere they can hold it out there is no small policy in the suddennesse of temptation but if they haue once setled it before their brest they are safe and their enemy hopelesse Vnder this head therefore there is sure remedy against sinne by looking vpwards backwards into our selues forwards Vpwards at the glorious Maiestie and infinite goodnesse of that God whom our sinne would offend and in whose face wee sinne whose mercies and whose holinesse is such that if there were no hell wee would not offend Backwards at the manifold fauours whereby we are obliged to obedience Into our selues at that honorable vocation wherewith hee hath graced vs that holy profession we haue made of his calling and grace that solemne vow and couenant whereby wee haue confirmed our profession the gracious beginnings of that Spirit in vs which is grieued by our sinnes yea quenched Forwards at the ioy which vvill follow vpon our forbearance that peace of conscience that happy expectation of glory compared with the momentarie and vnpleasing delight of a present sinne All these out of loue Feare is a retentiue as necessarie not so ingenuous It is better to be wonne then to be frighted from sinne to be allured then drawne Both are little inough in our pronenesse to euill Euill is the onely obiect of feare Herein therefore we must terrifie our stubbornnesse with both euils Of losse and of sense that if it be possible the horror of the euent may counteruaile the pleasure of the tentation Of losse remembring that now we are about to lose a God to cast away all the comforts and hopes of another world to rob our selues of all those sweet mercies we inioyed to thrust his spirit out of dores vvhich cannot abide to dwel vvithin the noisome stench of sinne to shut the doores of heauen against our selues Of sense That thus we giue Satan a right in vs power ouer vs aduantage against vs That wee make God to frowne vpon vs in heauen That we arme all his good creatures against vs on earth That we doe as it vvere take Gods hand in ours and scourge our selues with all temporall plagues and force his curses vpon vs and ours That we wound our owne consciences with sinnes that they may wound vs with euerlasting torments That we doe both make a hell in our breasts beforehand and open the gates of that bottomlesse pit to receiue vs afterwards That we doe now cast brimstone into the fire and lest wee should faile of tortures make our selues our owne fiends These and vvhat euer other terrors of this kinde must be laid to the soule vvhich if they be throughly vrged to an heart not altogether incredulous vvell may a man aske himselfe how he dare sinne But if neither this Sunne of mercies nor the tempestuous windes of iudgement can make him cast off Peters cloake of vvickednesse hee must be clad vvith confusion as vvith a cloake according to the Psalmist I tremble to thinke how many liue as if they vvere neither beholden to God nor afraid of him neither in his debt nor danger As if their heauen and hell vvere both vpon earth sinning not onely vvithout shame but not vvithout malice It is their least ill to doe euill Behold they speake for it ioy in it boast of it inforce to it as if they would send challenges into heauen and make loue to destruction Their lewdnesse cals for our sorrow and zealous obedience that our God may haue as true seruants as enemies And as vve see naturall qualities increased vvith the resistance of their contraries so must our grace vvith others sinnes vvee shall redeeme somewhat of Gods dishonour by sinne if vve shall thence grow holy To Mr Doctor MILBVRNE EP. IV. Discoursing how farre and wherein Popery destroyeth the foundation THe meane in all things is not more safe then hard whether to finde or keepe and as in all other moralitie it lyeth in a narrow roome so most in the matter of our censure especially concerning Religion wherein we are wont to be either carelesse or too peremptorie How farre and wherein Popery raceth the foundation is worth our inquirie I need not stay vpon words By foundation we meane the necessary grounds of Christian faith This foundation Papistry defaces by laying a new by casting down the old In these cases addition destroyes he that obtrudes a new word no lesse ouerthrowes the Scripture then he that denies the old yea this very obtrusion denies he that sets vp a new Christ reiects Christ Two foundations cannot stand at once the Arke and Dagon Now Papistry layes a double new foundation the one a new rule of faith that is a new vvord the other a new Author or guide of faith that is a new head besides Christ God neuer laid other foundation then in the Prophets and Apostles vpon their diuine writing he meant to build his Church which he therefore inspired that they might be like himselfe perfect and eternall Popery builds vpon an vnwritten word the voice of old but doubtfull Traditions the voice of the present Church that is as they interpret it theirs vvith no lesse confidence and presumption of certainty then any thing euer written by the singer of God If this be not a new foundation the old vvas none God neuer taught this holy Spouse to know any other husband then Christ to acknowledge any other head to follow any other Shepheard to obey any other King he alone may be enioyed without iealousie submitted to without danger without error beleeued serued without scruple Popery offers to impose on Gods Church a King Shepheard Head Husband besides her own A man a man of sinne He must know all things can erre in nothing direct informe animate command both in earth and Purgatorie expound Scriptures canonize Saints forgiue sinnes create new Articles of Faith and in all these is absolute and infallible as his Maker who sees not that if to attribute these things to the Son of God be to make him the foundation of the Church then to ascribe them to another is to contradict him that said Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ To lay a new foundation doth necessarily subuert the old yet see this further actually done in particulars wherin yet this distinction may cleare the way The foundation is ouerthrown two wayes either in flat tearmes when a maine principle of faith is absolutely denyed as the deity and consubstantialitie of the Son by Arrius the Trinity of persons by Sabellius and Seruetus the resurrection of the body by Himeneus Philetus the last Iudgement by S. Peters mockers Or secondly by consequent vvhen any opinion is maintained which by iust sequel ouer-turneth the truth of that principle which the defendant professes to hold yet so as he will not grant the necessitie of that deduction So
your leisure could allow you to walke along with me a while thorow these sweet and flowrie Meades of Vnity and happy conspiration of thoughts And yet I shall not so much bend the residue of my speech to the praise of vnity to what purpose were that waste as to the necessary vindication of it from the vniust challenges of the enemies of peace It is an heauy crime and of all other the most hainous wherewith we are charged by the Romanists That we are fallen off from the Catholick Church that we haue rent the seamlesse coat of Christ yea broken his bones and torne his very body in peeces whereof if we were indeed guilty how vnworthy were we to breathe in this aire how most worthy of the lowest Hell But we call heauen and earth to record how vniustly this calumny is cast vpon vs yea we protest before God and men that the enuie of this so foule a crimination lights most iustly vpon the heads of the accusers May it please you to heare a short Apologue A certaine man inuited to a feast one or two of his friends entertained them bountifully They sate together louingly they are together and were merry one with another In the second course as the custome is the Master offereth them wine sets before them an apple now a worme had somewhat eaten the apple and a spider by chance had falne into the cup The guest sees and balks it The Master vrgeth him Why doe you not eat quoth he why drinke you not I dare not saith the other t' is not safe to doe either seest thou not this vermine in the cup and that in the apple Tush saith the Master what so great matter is this It was I that set this before thee It was I that began to thee in the other Drinke it eat it at least for my sake But suffer me first replies the guest to take out this spider to cut out this worme the wine the apple likes me well enough the spider the worme I cannot away with Away with such ouer-nine and curious companions quoth he againe Fy vpon thee thou vngratefull fellow that dost so little regard my friendship so contemne my cheere and with that in a rage throwes the platters and pots in the very face of his guest and thrust him out of doores all wounded Tell me now I beseech you worthy Auditors whether of these violates the lawes of hospitality I dare say you haue easily applied it before me There was a time when we sate together in a familiar manner with these Romanists and fared well The spider in the cup The worme in the apple what else be they but superstition in their worship rotten and vnwholsome traditions in their faith without these the Religion pleaseth vs well But they will needs importunately thrust these vpon vs and we refusing are therefore scorned spit vpon beaten and cast out Had they but giuen vs leaue to take out this spider this worme we had still eaten and dranke together most gladly They obstinately resisted and prefer'd their owne headstrong will to our good and safety nay they repell vs with reproaches strike vs with their thundering Anathemaes condemne vs to the stakes what should we doe in this case Heare oh heauens and hearken oh earth and thou Almighty God the Maker and Gouernor of them both suffer thy selfe and thy glorious spirits to be called to the testimony of our innocencie We are compelled we are driuen away from the Communion of the Church of Rome They forced vs to goe from them who departed first from themselues We haue willingly departed from the communion of their errors from the Communion of the Church we haue not departed Let them renounce their erroneous doctrine we embrace their Church Let them but cast away their soule-slaying Traditions we will communicate with them in the right of one and the same Church and remaine so for euer But alas I must be forced to complaine and that not without extreme griefe of heart how that it cannot be determined whether those that boast themselues for Catholikes be greater enemies to Truth or to Charity To Truth in that they haue of late forged new errors and forced them vpon the Church To Charity in that they haue not stuck to condemne the aduerse part and to brand them with the black marke of Heresie I will speake if you please more plainly Three manner of waies doe these Romanists offend against Charity First that they will not remit any thing either of their most conuicted opinion or vitious practice no not for peace sake Secondly that for Articles of Christian faith they put vpon the Church certaine opinions of their owne false doubtfull and vncertaine peculiar onely to the schooles which doe no whit touch the foundation of Religion And lastly that if they meet with any faithfull and sound monitors which doe neuer so little gainsay these new Articles they cruelly cast them out of the bosome of the Church and throw them headlong into Hel Away with these Schismaticks Hereticks Acheists Iwis the Protestants haue no Church no faith no saluation Good Lord what fury what frenzy distempers Christians that they should be so impotently malicious against those who professe themselues to be redeemed by the ransome of the same most precious bloud At length At length O yee Christians be wise and acknowledge those whom the God and Father of mercies holds worthy of his armes yea of his bowels Let frantick error bawle what it list we are Christians we are Catholicks the vndiuided members of one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Let vs meet at this barre if you please Leâ— who will maintaine the plea What is it which maketh a Church What is it which maketh that Church One holy Catholick Apostolick Is it not one holy Catholick Apostolick saith But which is that Is it not the same which was deliuered by Christ and the Apostles to the whole world and was alwaies and euery where approued through all Ages euen vnto our times Wherefore are the Scriptures wherefore the Creeds wherefore were the primitiue Councells but that there might bee certaine markes whereby Catholicks might be vndoubtedly discerned from Hereticks You know the Epilogue of the Athanasian Creed This is the Catholick Faith If we may beleeue Leo the heads of all heresies are quite cut off with this one sword of the Creed How much more then with that two-edged sword of the Scriptures and of the Fathers their Interpreters What then Those that then were Catholicks can they in any age be condemned for Hereticks No Faith is alwaies constant to it selfe and so is the Church that is built vpon that Faith Did we euer deny or make doubt of any Article or clause of that Ancient Diuinity Either then Christ himselfe the Apostles Councells Fathers erred from the Catholick truth or wee yet remaine Catholicks What euer other opinions we meet withall concerning Religion neither make nor marre it Say they be false
this day wherein religion is not onely warmed but locked in her seat so fast that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it There haue beene Princes and that in this land which as the heathen Politician compared his Tyrant haue beene like to ill Physitians that haue purged away the good humors and left the bad behind them with whom any thing hath bin lawful but to be religious Some of your gray haires can be my witnesses Behold the euils we haue escaped shew vs our blessings Here hath bin no dragging out of houses no hiding of Bibles no creeping into woods no Bonnering or Butchering of Gods Saints no rotting in dungeons no casting of infants out of the mothers belly into the mothers flames nothing but Gods truth abundantly preached cheerefully professed incouraged rewarded What nation vnder heauen yeelds so many learned Diuines What times euer yeelded so many preaching Bishops When was this City the City of our ioy euer so happy this way as in these late successions Whither can we ascribe this health of the Church and life of the Gospell but next to God to His example His countenance His endeuours Wherein I may not omit how right he hath trod in the steps of that blessed Constantine in al his religious proceedings Let vs in one word parallel them Euseb de vita Const l. 4. c. 36. Constantine caused fifty Volumes of the Scriptures to bee faire written out in parchment for the vse of the Church Lib. 3.61.62 King Iames hath caused the Bookes of Scriptures to bee accurately translated and published by thousands Constantine made a zealous edict against Nouatians Valentinians Marcionites King Iames Lib. 3.63 besides his powerfull proclamations and soueraigne lawes hath effectually written against Popery and Vorstianisme Constantine tooke away the liberty of the meetings of Heretickes King Iames hath by wholesome lawes inhibited the assemblies of Papists and schismatickes Constantine sate in the middest of Bishops Lib. 1. c. 37. In media istorum frequentia ac congressu adesse vna considere non dedâ—gnatus Basil dor as if hee had beene one of them King Iames besides his solemne conferences vouchsafes not seldome to spend his meales in discourse with his Bishops and other worthy Diuines Constantine charged his sonnes vt planè sine fuco Christiani essent that they should be Christians in earnest King Iames hath done the like in learned and diuine precepts which shall liue till time bee no more Yea in their very coynes is a resemblance Constantine had his picture stampt vpon his mettals praying Lib. 4.15 King Iames hath his picture with prayer about it O Lord protect the kingdomes which thou hast vnited Lastly Constantine built Churches one in Ierusalem another in Nicomedia Lib. 3.43 King Iames hath founded one Colledge which shall helpe to build and confirme the whole Church of God vpon earth Yee wealthy Citizens that loue Ierusalem cast in your store after this royall example into the Sanctuary of God and whiles you make the Church of God happy make your selues so Brethren if wee haue any relish of Christ any sense of heauen let vs blesse God for the life of our soule the Gospell and for the spirit of this life his Anointed But where had beene our peace or this freedome of the Gospell without our deliuerance and where had our deliuerance beene without him As it was reported of the Oake of Mamre that all religions rendred their yeerely worship there Socr. l. 2. c. 3. The Iewes because of Abraham their Patriarch the Gentile because of the Angels that appeared there to Abraham The Christians because of Christ that was there seene of Abraham with the Angels So was there to King Iames in his first beginnings a confluence of all sects with papers in their hands and as it was best for them with a Rogamus Domine non pugnamus like the subiects of Theodosius Ribera in prophet min. ex Ioseph Antiq. lib. 9 vlt. â— mritam Iudaeos cognatos appellari soliti quamdiu illis bene erat At vbi contra c. 1 King 12. Flectâ—re si nequco c. But our cozens of Samaria when they saw that Salomons yoke would not bee lightned soone flew off in a rage What portion haue wee in Dauid And now those which had so oft looke vp to Heauen in vaine resolue to dig downe to Heli for aid Satan himselfe met them and offered for sauing of their labour to bring Hell vp to them What a world of sulphur had hee prouided against that day What a brewing of death was tunned vp in those vessels The murderous Pioners laught at the close felicity of their proiect and now before-hand seemed in conceit to haue heard the cracke of this hellish thunder and to see the mangled carcasses of the Heretickes flying vp so suddenly that their soules must needs goe vpward towards their perdition their streets strewed with legges and armes and the stones braining as many in their fall as they blew vp in their rise Remember the Children of Edom O Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said Psal 117.7 Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground O daughter of Babel worthy to bee destroyed blessed shall hee bee that serueth thee as thou wouldest haue serued vs. But hee that sits in Heauen laught as fast at them to see their presumption that would bee sending vp bodies to heauen before the resurrection and preferring companions to Elias in a fiery Chariot and said vt quid fremuerunt Consider now how great things the Lord hath done for vs The snare is broken and wee are deliuered But how As that learned Bishop well applied Salomon to this purpose Diuinatio in labijs Regis Pro. 16.10 B. Barlow p. 350 If there had not beene a diuination in the lips of the King wee had beene all in iawes of death Vnder his shadow wee are preserued aliue as Ieremie speaketh It is true God could haue done it by other meanes but hee would doe it by this that wee might owe the being of our liues to him of whom wee held our well-being before Oh praised be the God of heauen for our deliuerance Praised bee God for his anointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suet. by whom wee are deliuered Yea how should wee call to our fellow creatures the Angels Saints heauens elements meteors mountaines beasts trees to helpe vs praise the Lord for this mercy Addit neque me liberosque meos cariores habebo quam Caium eius sorores Clodoneus Otho Fris l. 4. c. 32. Clodoucus Otho Fris l. 4. c. 31. And as the oath of the Romane souldiers ranne how deare and precious should the life of Caesar bee to vs aboue all earthly things how should wee hate the base vnthankfulnesse of those men which can say of him as one said of his Saint Martin Martinus bonus in auxilio charus in negotio who whiles they
of the sonnes of Anak the spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places If we looke at their number they are Legions If to their strength they are Principalities and Powers If to their nature they are spirits that rule in the aire We are men flesh and bloud single weake sinfull What euer we are our God is in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will he is the Lord of Hosts though Cowards in our selues yet in him we are more than Conquerors he who is more than all power than All truth hath said it The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against his Church Thanks be to God which giueth vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Lastly he is the Lord of hosts his vndertakings are infallible Hath he said that the glory of the Euangelicall Church shall exceed the Legall Hath he said that In this place he will giue peace How can the Church faile of glory or the soule of peace His word can be no more defectiue than himselfe impotent Trust God with his owne causes trust him with thy selfe doe that he bids expect what he promises haunt this House of his wait on his ordinances The Lord of Hosts shall giue thee that peace which passeth all vnderstanding and with peace glory in that vpper House of his not made with hands eternall in the Heauens To the possession whereof that God who hath ordained vs in his good time mercifully bring vs. And now O Lord God of Hosts make good thy promises to this House of thine Whensoeuer any Suppliant shall in this place offer vp his praiers vnto thee heare thou in Heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest haue mercy What Word soeuer of thine shall sound out of this place let it be the fauour of life vnto life to euery hearer What Sacrament soeuer of thine in this place shall be administred let it be effectuall to the saluation of euery receiuer Thou that art the God of glory and peace giue peace and glory to thy Seruants for thy mercies sake for thy Sonnes sake euen the Sonne of thy loue Iesus Christ the iust To whom with thee and the holy Ghost one infinite God be giuen all praise honour and thanksgiuing now and for euer TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND REVEREND Mr. Dr. HALL DEANE OF WORCESTER my worthie and much respected Friend all happinesse with my loue in CHRIST IESVS REuerend Sir this Sermon I know is at the Presse before you expected But I thought as this glorious Chapell occasioned it so it might minister occasion of perpetuall remembrance of the Chapell by remaining its first Monument And altho both these were confined to the priuate the Chapell for the Family of my Right Honorable Lord the Earle of Exceter who hath giuen the materiall thereof sufficient luster and the Copie of the Sermon to the Cabinet of my truly Noble and vertuous Lady his Countesse yet both these are much and oft required to the publike the Sermon to be an instruction and so it is the Chapell to be an example and so it may be The Sermon to teach all to be all glorious in their soules The Chapell to teach some who build houses for their owne habitation to set vp another for Gods Religion The Sermon was craued at the hands of my Honourable Ladie that it might come to the Presse who of her owne pious disposition gaue forth the Copie and for her Noble esteeme of your selfe and of the worth of your sermon was willing and desirous to giue it way to the Printer And this I thought good to impart vnto you and to the courteous Reader that you may be satisfied of the meanes how and the cause why it comes in publike And so praying for you and desiring your prayers for me I remaine Your truly louing Friend H. BAGVLEY THE TRVE Peace-Maker LAID FORTH IN A SERMON BEFORE HIS MAIESTY AT THEOBALDS September 19. 1624. By IOS HALL SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS Io 3. ANCHORA FIDEI LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for NATHANIEL BVTTER 1624. THE TRVE Peace-Maker ESAY 32.17 Opus Iustitiae pax The worke of Iustice or righteousnesse shall be peace MY Text you heare is of Iustice and peace two royall graces and such as flow from soueraigne Maiesty There is a double Iustice Diuine and humane there is a double peace outward in the state inward in the soule Accordingly there is a double sense of my Text a spirituall a ciuill sense The spirituall concerning Theologicall Iustice and inward peace The ciuill concerning humane iustice and outward peace The spirituall thus The Messias shall cause the fruit of his perfect iustice to be our inward peace with God and our selues The ciuill thus The Magistrate shall cause the worke of ciuill Iustice in his administration to be our outward peace with one another In both or either as Musculus well there is an allusion in the Hebrew word to a field the soile is the heart or the State the seed is Iustice the fruit peace That which was waste ground is now a Carmell a fruitfull field and the fruit of this field of Iustice is peace As there is good reason we will beginne with the spirituall Iustice and Peace The great King of Heauen will disforest that peece of the world which hee calls his Church and put it to tillage it shall be sowne with righteousnesse and shall yeeld a sweet crop of peace in this onely not in the barren heaths of the prophane world shall true peace grow At first God and man were good friends How should there bee other than good termes betwixt Heauen and Paradise God made man iust and iust man whiles he was so could not chuse but loue the iust God that made him sin set them at odds in one act and instant did man leese both his iustice and peace now the world is changed now the stile of God is Fortis vltor God the auenger Ier. 51.56 and the stile of men God the auenger The sonnes of wrath Filij irae sons of wrath Ephes 2.3 There is no possible peace to be made betwixt God man but by the perfect Iustice of him that was both God man I would there were a peace in the Church about this Iustice It is pitie shame there is not but there must be heresies As there are two parts of Diuinity the Law and the Gospell so each of these haue their Iustice there is a Iustice of the Law and an Euangelicall Iustice The Iustice of the Law when a meere morall man is iustified out of his owne powers by the works of the Law very Papists will giue so much way to S. Paul so much affront to Pelagius as to renounce this freely anathematizing that man who by the strength of humane nature or the doctrine of the Law shal challenge iustification Vnlesse perhaps some Andradius haue priuiledge to teach Morall righteousnesse that this Ethica Iustitia was enough to iustifie and saue the old Philosophers The Euangelicall Iustice is
like pictures vpon course Canuasse which shew fairest at farthest attributing forraine approbation which you cannot denie to distance more than to desert How is it then that besides strange witnesses we which looke vpon this face without preiudice commend it God knowes without flattery wee can at once acknowledge her infirmities and blesse God for her graces Our neighbours yea our selues of Scotland know our Church so well that they doe with one consent praise her for one of Gods best daughters neither doe the most rigorous amongst them more dislike our Episcopall Gouernment than imbrace our Church what fraud is this to flie from the Church in common to one circumstance we can honour that noble Church in Scotland may we not dislike their alienations of Church-liuings If one thing offend doe all displease Yet euen this Gouernment which you would haue them resist to bonds and banishment who knowes not begins to finde both fauour and place what choice other Churches would make as you doubt not so you care not If you regard their sentence how durst you reuile her as a false Harlot whom they honour as a deare Sister If you were more theirs than we you might vpbraid vs Now you tell vs what perhaps they would doe we tell you what they doe and will doe Euen with one voice blesse God for England as the most famous and flourishing Church in Christendome your handfull only makes faces enuies this true glory Who yet you say despise not our graces no more than wee those of Rome See how you despise vs while you say you are free from despite How malicious is this comparison as if wee were to you as Rome to vs and yet you despise vs more Wee grant Rome a true Baptisme M. Smiths retort vpon M. Clifton p. 50. true Visibility of a Church though monstrously corrupted you giue vs not so much Thankes be to God we care lesse for your censure than you doe for our Church We haue by Gods mercy the true and right vse of the Word and Sacraments and all other essentiall gifts and graces of God if there might be some further helps in execution to make these more effectuall we resist not But those your other imaginary ordinances as we haue not so we want not Neither the Caldeans nor any Idolatrous enemies could make Sion Babylon nor the holy vessels profane so as they should cease to be fit for Gods vse but they were brought backe at the returne of the captiuity to Ierusalem Such were our Worship Ministery Sacraments and those manifold subiects of your cauills which whilst you disgrace for their former abuse you call our good euill and willingly despise our graces SEP Where the truth is a gainer the Lord which is truth cannot bee a loser Neither is the thankes of ancient fauours lost amongst them which still presse on towards new mercies Vnthankefull are they vnto the blessed Maiestie of God and vnfaithfull also which knowing the will of their Master doe it not but goe on presumptuously in disobedience to many the holy ordinances of the Lord and of his Christ which they know and in word also acknowledge he hath giuen to his Church to be obserued and not for idle speculation and disputation without obedience It is not by our sequestration but by our confusion that Rome and Hell gaines Your odious commixture of all sorts of people in the body of your Church in whose lap the vilest miscreants are dandled sucking her brests as her naturall children and are be-blest by her as hauing right thereunto with all her holy things as Prayer Sacraments and other Ceremonies is that which aduantageth hell in the finall obduration and perdition of the wicked whom by these meanes you flatter and deceiue The Romish Prelacie and Priesthood amongst you with the appurtenances for their maintenance and ministrations are Romes aduantage Which therefore she challengeth as her owne and by which she also still holds possession amongst you vnder the hope of regaining her full inheritance at one time or other And if the Papists take aduantage at our condemnation of you and separation from you it concernes you well to see where the blame is and there to lay it lest through light and inconsiderate iudgement you iustifie the wicked and condemne the righteous SECTION LVII ALL the sequell of my Answerer is meerely sententious The issue of Separation it is fitter for vs to learne than replie Where the truth gaines say you God loseth not I tell you againe where God loseth the truth gaineth not and where the Church loseth God which indowed her cannot but lose Alas what can the truth either get or saue by such vnkinde quarrels Surely suspition on some hands on others reiection for as Optatus of his Donatists betwixt our Licet and your Non licet Inter licet vestrum non licet nostrum nutant ac remigant animae Christianorum Optat. coâ—â—â— Pâ—â—m many poore soules wauer and doubt neither will settle because we agree not Thanks are not lost where new fauours are called for but where old are denied While your Poesie is Such as the mother such is the daughter where are our old our any mercies They are vnthankfull which know what God hath done and confesse it not They are vnthankfull to God and his Deputie which knowing themselues made to obey presume to ouer-ruâ—â— and vpon their priuate authoritie obtrude to the Church those ordinances to be obseâ—ued which neuer had being but in their owne idle speculation Your Sequestration and our confusion are both of them beneficiall where they should not and as you pretend our confusion for the cause of your Separation So is your Separation the true cause of too much trouble and confusion in the Church Your odious tale of commixture hath cloyed and surfeted your Reader already and receiued answer to satietie this one dish so oft brought forth argues your pouertie The visible Church is Gods Drag-not and Field and Floore and Arke Non enim propter malos boni deserendi sed propter bonos mali tolerandi sunt c. Sicut tolerauerunt Prophetae c. Aug. Ep. 48. Barr. against Gyff here will be euer at her best Sedge Tares Chaffe vncleane Creatures yet is this no pretence for her neglect The notoriously euill shee casts from her brest and knee denying them the vse of her Prayers and which your Leaders mislike of her Sacrament If diuers through corruption of vnfaithfull Officers escape censure yet let not the transgressions of some redound to the condemnation of the whole Church In Gods iudgement it shall not we care litle if in yours Wee tell wicked men they may goe to hell with the water of Baptisme in their faces with the Church in their mouthes we denounce Gods iudgements vnpartially against their sinnes and them Thus we flatter thus we deceiue If yet they will needs runne to perdition Perditio tua ex te Israel Our Clergie is
there should bee granted by Iohn 22. a Pardon for no lesse than a million of yeeres Who can endure since by their owne confession this fire must last but till the conflagration of the world that yet in one little Booke there should be tendred vnto credulous poore soules Pardons of but eleuen thousand thousands of yeeres What should we make many words of this There is now lying by me a worme-eaten Manu-script with faire Rubrickes in which besides other absurd and blasphemous promises there is power giuen to one little prayer to change the paines of hell due perhaps to him that sayes it into Purgatory and after that againe the paines of Purgatory into the ioyes of Heauen Lib. de Indulg Bellarmine had wisely respected his owne reputation if hee had giuen his voice according to that which he confesseth to haue beene the iudgement of some others That these like Bills were not giuen by the Popes but lewdly deuised by some of his base Questuaries for an aduantage But that which he should excuse hee defends What ingenuity of shame is to be expected of Iesuites and how cleane hath an old Parrot as he said of old forgotten the wand Who may abide this vniust and inhumane acceptation of persons that the wealthier sort may by their purses redeeme this holy treasure of the Church and by money deliuer the soules of themselues and their friends from this horrible Prison while the needy Soule must be stall frying in this flame without all hope of pardon or mature relaxation vntill the very last Iudgement day Lastly who can endure that whiles it is in the power of Christs Vicar to call miserable soules out of this tormenting fire which hell it selfe is said to exceed onely in the continuance yet that he should suffer them to lie howling there and most cruelly broyling still and not mercifully bestow on them all the heapes of his treasure as the spirituall ransome of so many distressed spirits Ambr. de Nabâ—th A wretched man is he as Ambrose said of the rich man which hath the power to deliuer so many soules from death and wants the will Why hath God giuen him this faculty of Indulgences if hee would not haue it beneficiall to Mankinde Auth. operis imperfect and where the Owner of the house will bee bountifull it is not for the Steward to bee niggardly Let that Circè of Rome keepe these huskes for her hogges SECTION XIII Concerning the distinction of Veniall and Mortall sinnes PArdons doe both imply and presuppose that knowne distinction of Mortall and Veniall sinne which neither hath God euer allowed neither whiles he gaine-sayes it will euer the Protestants That there are certaine degrees of euill we both acknowledge and teach so as we may here iustly tax the dishonesty and shamelesnesse of Campion Durcus Coccius and the Monkes of Burdeaux who haue vpbraided vs with the opinion of a certaine Stoicall and Iouinianish parity of sinnes yea Bellarmine himselfe hath already done this kinde office for vs. Some offences are more hainous than other yet all in the malignitie of their nature deadly As of poysons some kill more gently and lingringly others more violently and speedily yet both kill Moreouer if wee haue respect vnto the infinite mercy of God and to the obiect of this mercy the penitent and faithfull heart there is no sinne which to borrow the word of Prudentius is not veniall but in respect of the Anomy or disorder there is no sinne which is not worthy of eternall death Euery sinne is a Viper there is no Viper if we regard the nature of the best but kils whom she bites but if one of them shall haply light vpon the hand of Paul she is shaked into the fire without harme done Let no man feare that harmefull creature euer the lesse because he sees the Apostle safe from that poyson So is sinne to a faithfull man Saint Iohns word is All sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 Rom. 6. Saint Pauls word is The wages of sinne is death Put these two together and this conceit of the naturall pardon ablenesse of sin vanishes alone Our Rhemists subtill men can no more abide this proposition conuerted than themselues All sinne indeed say they is anomia a transgression of the Law but euery transgression of the Law is not sinne The Apostle therefore himselfe turnes it for vs All vnrighteousnesse saith he is sin But euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vnrighteousnesse saith Austen vpon the place For the Law is the rule of righteousnesse therefore the preuarication of the Law is vnrighteousnesse Yea their very owne word shall stop their owne mouth for how is sinne vniuocally distinguished into Veniall and Mortall if the Veniall be no sinne and the wages of euery sinne is death That therefore which the Papists presume to say that this kinde of sinne deserues pardon in it selfe vnlesse they will take the word merit catachrestically with Stapleton And that which Bellarmine and Nauarus adde that Veniall sinnes are not against but beside the Law and lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Fr. à Vict. summa sacr Poenitentiae nu 100. p. 63. That which Franciscus à Victoria writes that a Bishops blessing or a Lords Prayer or a knocke on the breast or a little holy water or any such like slight receipt without any other good motion of the heart is sufficient to remit Veniall sinne is so shamefully abhorring from all piety and iustice that these open bands both of nature and sinne must be eternally defied of vs. It is an old and as true a ride Decr. 23.4.4 est iniusta c. Petr. Alagâ—â—nae Comp. Manual Nauarri p. 91. p. 267. p. 140. p. 191. p. 352. p. 100. Socr. l. 5.21 â—asinesse of pardon giues incouragement to sinne And beside what maner of sinnes doe they put in the ranke of Venials Drunkennesse adultery angry curses or blasphemies couetousnesse yea stealing lying cursing of parents horrible offences shroud themselues with them vnder this plausible title of veniall He must needs be shamelesly wicked that abhorres not this licentiousnesse Surely Socrates the Historian prophecied I thinke of these men There are some saith he that let goe whoredome as an indifferent matter which yet striue for an holy-day as for their life The ordinarie and not slight Controuersie as Cassander thinketh of the name nature condition punishment of the first sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originall as Chrysostome calls it I willingly omit Neither doe I meddle with their Euangelicall perfection of vowes nor the dangerous seruitude of their rash and impotent Votaries nor the incoueniences of their Monkerie which yet are so great and many that the elect Cardinals of Paul the third doubted not with ioynt consent to affirme All the Orders of Couents we thinke fit to be abolished but for the condition of that single and solitary life let that be done which Cassander and
present their best seruices to God and yet alas they say they know not what they heare they know not what they doe they know not what returning empty of all hearty edification and onely full of confused intentions and are taught to thinke this sacrifice of fooles meritorious Look their Chemarims vpon the sacred actors in this religious Scene what shall you see but idle Apishnesse in their solemnest worke and either mockery or slumbering Looke into their religious houses what shall you see but a trade of carelesse and lazy holines houres obserued because they must not because they would What doe they but lull piety asleepe with their heartlesse and sleepy Vespers Looke into the priuate closets of their deuout Ignorants what difference shall you see betwixt the Image and the Suppliant If they can heare their beads knacke vpon each other they are not bid to care for hearing their praiers reflect vpon heauen Shortly in all that belongs to God the worke done sufficeth yea meriteth and what need the heart be wrought vpon for a taske of the hand Looke into the melancholike Cels of some austere Recluses there you may finde perhaps an haire-cloth or a whip or an heardle but shew mee true mortification the power of spirituall renouation of the soule How should that bee found there when as that sauing faith which is the onely purger of the heart is barred out as presumptuous and no guest of that kinde allowed but the same which is common to Deuils what Papist in all Christendome hath euer beene heard to pray daily with his family or to sing but a Psalme at home Looke into the vniuersall course of the Catholike life there shall you finde the Decalogue professedly broken besides the ordinary practise of Idolatry and frequence of oathes Who euer saw â—â—dâ— day duly kept in any city village houshold vnder the iurisdiction of Rome Euâ—â— obscure holy-day takes the wall of it and thrusts it into the channell Who sees not obedience to authority so slighted that it stands only to the mercy of humane dispensation and in the rest of Gods Lawes who sees not how foule sinnes passe for veniall and how easily veniall sinnes passe their satisfaction for which a crosse or a drop of holy-water is sufficient amends Who sees not how no place can be left for truth where there is full roome giuen to equiuocation All this though it be harsh to the conscionable man yet is no lesse pleasing to the carnall The way of outward fashionablenesse in religion and inward liberty of heart cannot but seeme faire to nature and especially when it hath so powerfull angariation It is a wonder if but one halfe of Christendome be thus wonne to walke in it Those which are either vngrounded in the principles of Religion or the vnconscionable in the practise are fit to trauell into these miserable errors But though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne Come ye not to Gilgal neither goe ye vp to Bethanen SECT XXI FRom the danger of corruption in iudgement let vs turne our eyes to the deprauation of manners which not seldome goes before Apples therefore fall from the tree because they be worme-eaten they are not worm-eaten because they fall and as vsually followes Satan like the Rauen first seizes vpon the eye of vnderstanding and then preyes freely vpon the other carkase We may be bad enough at home certainly we are the worse for our neighbours Old Rome vvas not more iealous of the Grecian and African manners then we haue reason to be of the Roman It were well if wee knew our owne fashions better if we could keepe them What mischiefe haue we amongst vs that we haue not borrowed To begin at our skin vvho knowes not whence we had the varietie of our vaine disguises As if vvee had not wit enough to be foolish vnlesse we were taught it These dresses being constant in their mutabilitie shew vs our masters What is it that we haue not learned of our neighbours saue onely to be proud good cheape vvhom would it not vex to see how that other sexe hath learned to make Antiks and monsters of themselues Whence came their hips to the shoulders and their brests to the nauill but the one from some ill-shap't Dames of France and the other from the worse minded Curtizans of Italy Whence else learned they to dawbe these mud-wals vvith Apothecaries morter and those high washes which are so cunningly lickt on that the vvet napkin of Phryne should be deceiued Whence the frisled and poudred bushes of their borrowed excrement as if they were ashamed of the head of Gods making and proud of the Tire-womans Where learned we that deuillish Art and practice of Duell vvherein men seek honour in blood and are taught the ambition of being glorious butchers of men Where had vve that luxurious delicacie in our feasts in vvhich the nose is no lesse pleased then the palate and the eye no lesse then either wherein the piles of dishes make barricadoes against the appetite and with a pleasing encombrance trouble an hungry ghest Where those formes of ceremonious quaffing in which men haue learned to make Gods of others and beasts of themselues and lose their reason whiles they pretend to do reason where the lawlesnesse mis-called freedome of a wilde tongue that runnes with reines in the necke thorow the bed-chamber of Princes their Closets their Counsell-Tables and spares not the very Cabinet of their brests much lesse can be barr'd out of the most retired secrecie of inferiour greatnesse Where the change of noble attendance and hospitalitie into foure wheeles and some few butterflies Where the Art of dishonestie in practicall Machiauelisme in false equiuocations Where the slight account of that filthinesse which is but condemned as veniall and tolerated as not vnnecessarie Where the skill of ciuill and honourable hypocrisie in those formall complements which doe neither expect beleefe from others nor carie any from our selues Where that vnnaturall villany vvhich though it vvere burnt with fire and brimston from heauen and the ashes of it drowned in the dead sea yet hath made shift to reuiue and cals for new vengeance vpon the actors Where that close Aâ—heisme vvhich secretly laughs God in the face and thinkes it weakenesse to beleeue wisdom to professe any religion Where the bloody and tragicall science of King killing the new diuinity of disobedience and rebellion with too many other euils vvherewith foraine conuersation hath indangered the infection of our peace Lo here deare Countrymen the fruit of your idle gaddings Better perhaps might be had but he was neuer acquainted at home that knowes not our nature to be like vnto fire vvhich if there be any infection in the roome drawes it straight to it selfe Or like vnto iet which omitting all precious obiects gathers vp strawes and dust Ilanders haue beene euer in an ill name Wherefore saue onely for the confluence of forainers vvhich neuer come without the fraight
we should thinke that the Lord which is the Author and sanctifier of Mariage should hold it in the same rank with surfetting drunkennesse Another was of the same Author i i Tit. 2. Si quis legitimam commixtionem filiorum recreationem corruptionem coinquinationem vocat ille habet cohabito torem daemonem Apostatam Ignat. Epist ad Philadelph teaching vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly Lusts vs of the Clergy belike the rest need not And who knowes not the witty and learned insinuations of their good Siritius Those that are in the flesh cannot please God These and such like are the forceable insinuations of this imposed continency which euen very boyes and Ideots can hisse out of the Schooles SECT XXII FRom Panormitan hee descends to my alledged Gratian who because he speakes these words by way of explication in a continued tenor with a sentence of Austin is to my mortall sinne cited by me as speaking from Austin The position and the inference of the words is such as might deceiue any eye that would trust a Gratian What might the price be trow we of such a crime in the Apostolique chamber In my next Shrift Refut p. 105. he shall heare meâ culpâ The words are Gratians that Copula Sacerdotalis vel consanguineorum The mariage or as this Clerkly Grammarian translates it the carnall copulation of Priests or kinsfolke is not forbidden by any Legall Euangelicall or Apostolicall authoritie but by Ecclesiasticall Law it is forbidden Wee could not hyre a Proctor to say more But herein C. E. hath detected two foule faults of the citation The one that I trusted his Gratian so far as to make him speake out of Austin which I trust a little Holy-water may wash off The other Refut p. 106. That I concealed the mariage of kinsfolke within the prohibited degrees which saith he although only forbidden by Ecclesiasticall Law yet dares not M. Hall I thinke transgresse it so as this Law hath greater forâ—e then he supposeth it to haue So he Plainly my Refuter knowes not what he faith else he would neuer thus palpably plead against himselfe For whateuer thing was there in all the constitutions of his Church more subiect to variation then the legall supputation of the forbidden degrees which was a long time confined to the third degree inclusiuely another while extended to the fourth and sometime to the seuenth Let him herein reconcile his Pope Nicholas and Gregory with Pope Innocent Whereof the one left all free that were without the pale of the fourth degree the other restrayned all to the seuenth And when he finds an vnalterablenesse in the determination of these degrees let him plead for an equally-fatall necessity of his Ecclesiasticall continence in the meane time let him take it patiently to be beaten with his owne Rod. No diuine Law then he grants hath inioyned this Celebate but an Ecclesiasticall What is this other then I said God neuer imposed this Law of continence Who then k k Espenc ex Test Abb. l 1. c. 3. Facerat igitur Ecclesia boni medici iusta medicinam quae obsit magis quam profit tallentis The Church should therefore doe like a good Physitian in remouing the medicine which he seeâ— to doe more harme then good Refut p. 107. The Church And why may not I goe on to aske Whether a good wife would gain-say what her husband willeth Flourishing will not answer this All the prayses of beauty and fidelity which are giuen to the true Church argue Rome to be the false Whereas therefore the Priest shuts vp thus brauely And this Minister who would make the one to gain-say the other should bring some place or sentence to shew the same which he may chance to doe the next morning after the Greeke Calends or else neuer aâ—ouch so vnchristian a Paradoxe He shall vnderstand that his Greeke Calends are past The Spirit of God saith A Bishop may be the Husband of one Wife The Church of Rome sayes A Bishop may not be the Husband of any wife at all Whether is this a contradiction The Spirit of God sayes Mariage is honourable amongst all men The Church of Rome sayes Mariage is dishonourable to some The Spirit of God sayes To auoid Fornication let euery man haue his wife The Church of Rome like a quick huswife saies Some order of men shall not haue a wife though to auoyd Fornication Let my Masse-Priest shew these to be no contradictions which hee may chance to doe at the Greeke Calends or else grant this to be neither Paradox nor vnchristian SECT XXIII FRom Cardinall Panormitan I ascended to Pope Pius the Second Refut p. 108. whom I vshered in with this Preface Let a Pope himself speake out of Peters Chayre Pius the second as learned as hath sit in that roome this thousand yeeres Two things my Cauiller snarles at in the Preface two in the authority it selfe My first manifest vntruth is that Pius the Second spake this as out of the Chayre A witlesse misprision I hope he sate in Peters Chayre that spake it if he spake it not as from the Chayr I care for no more Is not this sufficient to win respect from a Catholike Priest Otherwise whether it were Stoole or Chaire or if a chayre whether the consistoriall or the Porphyry chaire wherin he sits before his first Triumph l l Lib. sacr cerem tanquam instercoraria it is all one to me Themselues must first agree what it is to speake as from the Chaire ere I can affirme that Pius the Second so spake this Id Populus curet I referred the chaire to the man not to the speech In the meane time C. E. is not so good a groome to the Chayre as Gregory of Valence who attributes infallibility to a Popes sentence though it be m m Vid Rom. Irrecon sine curâ studie My second wrong is the superlatiue lashing so he cals it of other Popes learning in comparison of this I cry him mercy I did not know what sinne it was to commend a Popes learning That is not it I confesse that caries away the Crownes and the Keyes But the comparison offended Perhaps C.E. hath knowne that Chaire more learnedly furnished It may be he thinkes of Boniface the Ninth called before Peter de Thomacellis a Neapolitan n n Theod. Niem lib. 1. c. 6. who could neither write nor sing hardly vnderstanding the propositions of the Aduocates in the Consistorie insomuch as in his time Inscitia ferè venalis facta fuit in ipsa curiâ Ignorance was growne valuable Or it may be he thinks of those ancient ferule-fingred Boy-Popes one of the Benedicts a graue Father of ten yeeres old or Iohn the Thirteenth an aged Stripling of nineteene Or perhaps hee alludes to those learned times within my compasse which were acknowledged in the Councell of Rhemes where when offer was made of requiring the Popes
Many harlots will put on the semblances of chastity of modesty neuer the contrary It is no trusting those which doe not wish to appeare good Iudah esteemes her by her habit and now the sight of an harlot hath stird vp in him a thought of lust Satan finds well that a fit obiect is halfe a victory Who would not bee ashamed to see a sonne of Iacob thus transported with filthy affections At the first fight he is inflamed neither yet did he see the face of her whom he lusted after it was enough motiue to him that she was a woman neither could the presence of his neighbor the Adullamite compose those wicked thoughts or hinder his vnchast acts That sinne must needs be impudent which can abide a witnesse yea so hath his lust besotted him that he cannot discerne the voice of Thamar that he cannot foresee the danger of his shame in parting with such pledges There is no passion which doth not for the time bereaue a man of himselfe Thamar had learned not to trust him without a pawne He had promised his sonne to her as a daughter and failed now he promised a Kid to her as an Harlot and performeth it Whether his pledge constrained him or the power of his word I enquire not Many are faithfull in all things saue those which are the greatest and dearest If his credit had beene as much indangered in the former promise he had kept it now hath Thamar requited him She expected long the enioying of his promised son and he performed not but here he performes the promise of the Kid and shee stayes not to expect it Iudah is sorry that he cannot pay the hire of his lust and now feareth lest he shall be beaten with his owne staffe lest his signet shall be vsed to confirme and seale his reproach resoluing not to know them and wishing they were vnknown of others Shame is the easiest wages of sin and the surest which euer begins first in our selues Nature is not more forward to commit sinne then willing to hide it I heare as yet of no remorse in Iudah but feare of shame Three moneths hath his sinne slept and now when he is securest it awakes and baites him Newes is brought him that Thamar begins to swell with her conception and now he swels with rage and cals her forth to the flame like a rigorous Iudge without so much as staying for the time of her deliuerance that his cruelty in this iustice should be no lesse ill then the vniustice of occasioning it If Iudah had not forgotten his sinne his pittie had beene more then his hatred to this of his daughters How easie is it to detest those sinnes in others which we flatter in our selues Thamar doth not denie the sinne nor refuse punishment but calls for that partner in her punishment which was her partner in the sinne the staffe the signet the handkerchiefe accuse and conuince Iudah and now he blushes at his owne sentence much more at his act and cries out She is more righteous then I. God will finde a time to bring his children vpon their knees and to wring from them penitent confessions And rather then he will not haue them soundly ashamed he will make them the trumpets of their owne reproach Yet doth he not offer himselfe to the flame with her but rather excuses her by himselfe This relenting in his owne case shamed his former zeale Euen in the best men nature is partiall to it selfe It is good so to sentence others frailties that yet we remember our owne whether those that haue beene or may be with what shame yea with what horror must Iudah needs looke vpon the great belly of Thamar and on her two sonnes the monuments of his filthinesse How must it needes wound his soule to heare them call him both Father and Grandfather to call her mother and sister If this had not cost him many a sigh he had no more escaped his Fathers curse then Reuben did I see the difference not of sinnes but of men Remission goes not by the measure of the sinne but the quality of the sinner yea rather the mercy of the Forgiuer Blessed is the man not that sinnes not but to whom the Lord imputes not his sinne Of IOSEPH I Maruell not that Ioseph had the double portion of Iacobs land who had more then two parts of his sorrowes None of his sonnes did so truely inherit his afflictions none of them was either so miserable or so great suffering is the way to glory I see in him not a cleerer type of Christ then of euery Christian Because we are deare to our Father and complaine of sinnes therefore are we hated of our carnall brethren If Ioseph had not medled with his brothers faults yet he had beene enuied for his Fathers affection but now malice is met with enuy There is nothing more thanklesse or dangerous then to stand in the way of a resolute sinner That which doth correct and obliege the penitent makes the wilfull mind furious and reuengefull All the spight of his brethren cannot make Ioseph cast off the liuery of his Fathers loue what need we care for the censures of men if our hearts can tell vs that we are in fauour with God But what meant young Ioseph to adde vnto his own enuy by reporting his dreames The concealement of our hopes or abilities hath not more modesty then safety He that was enuied for his dearnesse and hated for his intelligence was both enuied hated for his dreames Surely God meant to make the relation of these dreames a means to affect that which these dreames imported We men worke by likely meanes God by contraries The maine quarrell was Behold this dreamer commeth Had it not been for his dreames he had not bin sold if he had not bin sold he had not bin exalted So Iosephs state had not deserued enuy if his dreams had not caused him to be enuied Full little did Ioseph thinke when he went to seeke his brethren that this was the last time he should see his fathers house Full little did his brethren thinke when they sold him naked to the Ismaelites to haue once seene him in the Throne of Aegypt Gods decree runnes on and while we either thinke not of it or oppose it is performed In an honest and obedient simplicity Ioseph comes to enquire of his brethrens health and now may not returne to carry newes of his owne misery whiles he thinkes of their welfare they are plotting his destruction Come let vs slay him Who would haue expected this cruelty in them which should be the Fathers of Gods Church It was thought a fauour that Reubens entreaty obtained for him that he might be cast into the pit aliue to dye there He lookt for brethren and behold murtherers Euery mans tongue euery mans fist was bent against him Each one striues who shall lay the first hand vpon that changeable cote which was dyed with their Fathers
must goe out of this foraine Land of our Pilgrimage to the home of our glorious inheritance to dwell with none but our own in that better and more lightsome Goshen free from all the incumbrances of this Aegypt and full of all the riches and delights of God The guilty conscience can neuer thinke it selfe safe So many yeares experience of Iosephs loue could not secure his brethren of remission those that know they haue deserued ill are wont to mis-interpret fauours and thinke they cannot be beloued All that while his goodnesse seemed but concealed and sleeping malice which they feared in their Fathers last sleepe would awake and bewray it selfe in reuenge Still therefore they plead the name of their Father though dead not daring to vse their owne Good meanings cannot bee more wronged then with suspition It grieues Ioseph to see their feare and to find they had not forgotten their owne sinne and to heare them so passionately craue that which they had Forgiue the trespasse of the seruants of thy Fathers God What a coniuration of pardon was this What wound could be either so deepe or so festred as this plaster could not cure They say not the sonnes of thy Father for they knew Iacob was dead and they had degenerated but the seruants of thy Fathers God How much stronger are the bonds of Religion then of Nature If Ioseph had been rancorous this deprecation had charmed him but now it resolues him into teares They are not so ready to acknowledge their old offence as he to protest his loue and if he chide them for any thing it is for that they thought they needed to intreat since they might know it could not stand with the fellow-seruant of their Fathers God to harbour maliciousnesse to purpose reuenge Am not I vnder God And fully to secure them hee turnes their eyes from themselues to the Decree of God from the action to the euent as one that would haue them thinke there was no cause to repent of that which proued so successefull Euen late confession findes forgiuenesse Ioseph had long agoe seene their sorrow neuer but now heard their humble acknowledgement Mercy stayes not for outward solemnities How much more shall that infinite goodnesse pardon our sinnes when hee findes the truth of our repentance Contemplations THE FOVRTH BOOKE The affliction of Israel Or The Aegyptian bondage The birth and breeding of Moses Moses called The plagues of Aegypt BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE JAMES LORD HAY ALL GRACE AND HAPPINESSE Right Honorable ALL that J can say for my selfe is a desire of doing good which if it were as feruent in richer hearts the Church which now we see comely would then be glorious this honest ambition hath caried mee to neglect the feare of seeming prodigall of my little and while J see others Talents rusting in the earth hath drawne mee to traffique with mine in publike I hope no aduenture that euer I made of this kinde shall be equally gainfull to this my present labour wherein I take Gods owne Historie for the ground and worke vpon it by what Meditations my weaknesse can afford The diuinenesse of this subiect shall make more then amends for the manifold defects of my discourse although also the blame of an imperfection is so much the more when it lighteth vpon so high a choice This part which I offer to your Lordship shall shew you Pharaoh impotently enuious and cruell the Israelites of friends become slaues punished onely for prospering Moses in the Weedes in the Court in the Desart in the Hill of visions a Courtier in Aegypt a Shepheard in Midian an Ambassador from God a Leader of Gods people and when you see the prodigious varietie of the plagues of Aegypt you shall not know whether more to wonder at the miracles of Moses or Pharaohs obstinacle Finally you shall see the same Waues made both a wall and a gulfe in one houre the Aegyptians drowned where no Jsraelite was wet-shod and if these passages yeeld not abundance of profitable thoughts impute it not without pardon to the pouertie of my weake conceit which yet may perhaps occasion better vnto others Jn all humble submission J commend them what they are to your Lordships fauourable acceptation and your selfe with them to the gracious blessing of our God Your Lordships in all dutifull obseruance at command IOS HALL Contemplations THE FOVRTH BOOKE The affliction of Jsrael EGYPT was long an harbour to the Israelites now it proues a Iayle the Posteritie of Iacob finds too late what it was for their forefathers to sell Ioseph a slaue into Aegypt Those whom the Aegyptians honoured before as Lord now they contemne as drudges One Pharaoh aduances whom another labours to depresse Not seldome the same man changes copies but if fauours out-liue one age they proue decrepit and heartlesse It is a rare thing to find posterity heires of their fathers loue How should mens fauour be but like themselues variable and inconstant there is no certaintie but in the fauour of God in whom can be no change whose loue is intayled vpon a thousand generation Yet if the Israelites had been treacherous to Pharaoh if disobedient this great change of countenance had been iust now the onely offence of Israel is that he prospereth that which should be the motiue of their gratulation and friendship is the cause of their malice There is no more hatefull sight to a wicked man then the prosperitie of the conscionable None but the spirit of that true Harbinger of Christ can teach vs to say with contentment He must encrease but I must decrease And what if Israel be mighty and rich If there be warre they may ioyne with our enemies and get them out of the Land Behold they are afraid to part with those whom they are grieued to entertaine either staying or going is offence enough to those that seeke quarrels There were no warres and yet they say If there be warres The Israelites had neuer giuen cause of feare to reuolt and yet they say Lest they ioyne to our enemies to those enemies which we may haue So they make their certaine friends slaues for feare of vncertaine enemies Wickednesse is euer cowardly and full of vniust suspitions it makes a man feare where no feare is fly when none pursues him What difference there is betwixt Dauid and Pharaoh The faith of the one sayes I wil not be afraid for then thousand that should beset me The feare of the other saies Left if there be warre they ioyne with our enemies therefore should hee haue made much of the Israelites that they might be his his fauour might haue made them firme Why might they not as well draw their swords for him Weake and base minds euer incline to the worse and seeke safety rather in an impossibility of hurt then in the likelihood of iust
aduantage Fauours had bin more binding then cruelties yet the foolish Aegyptian had rather haue impotent seruants then able friends For their welfare alone Pharaoh owes Israel a mischiefe and how wil he pay it Come let vs worke wisely Lewd men call wicked policies wisdome and their successe happinesse Herein Satan is wiser then they who both layes the plot and makes them such fooles as to mistake villany and madnesse for the best vertue Iniustice is vpheld by violence whereas iust gouernments are maintained by loue Taske-masters must be set ouer Israel they should not be the true Seed of Israel if they were not still set to wrestle with God in afflictions Heauy burdens must bee laid vpon them Israel is neuer but loaded the destiny of one of Iacobs sonnes is common to all To lye downe betwixt their burdens If they had seemed to breathe them in Goshen sometimes yet euen there it was no small miserie to be forainers and to liue among Idolaters but now the name of a slaue is added to the name of a stranger Israel had gathered some rust in idolatrous Aegypt and now he must be scowred they had borne the burden of Gods anger if they had not borne the burdens of the Aegyptians As God afflicted them with another minde then the Aegyptians God to exercise them the Aegyptians to suppresse them so causes he the euent to differ Who would not haue thought with these Aegyptians that so extreme misery should not haue made the Israelites vnfit both for generation and resistance Moderate exercise strengthens extreame destroyes nature That God which many times workes by contrary means caused them to grow with depression with persecution to multiply How can Gods Church but fare well since the very malice of their enemies benefits them Oh the Soueraigne goodnes of our God that turnes all our poisons into cordials Gods Vine beares the better with bleeding And now the Aegyptians could be angry with their owne maliciousnesse that this was the occasion of multiplying them whom they hated and feared to see that this seruice gained more to the workmen then to their Masters The stronger therefore the Israelites grew the more impotent grew the malice of their persecutors And since their owne labour strengthens them now tyrannie will try what can be done by the violence of others since the present strength cannot bee subdued the hopes of succession must be preuented women must be suborned to bee murderers and those whose office is to helpe the birth must destroy it There was lesse suspition of crueltie in that sexe and more opportunitie of doing mischiefe The male children must be borne and die at once what can be more innocent then the childe that hath not liued so much as to cry or to see light It is fault enough to be the sonne of an Israelite the daughters may liue for bondage for lust a condition so much at the least worse then death as their sex was weaker O maruellous cruelty that a man should kill a man for his sexes sake Whosoeuer hath loosed the reynes vnto cruelty is easily caried into incredible extremities From burdens they proceed to bondage and from bondage to blood from an vniust vexation of their body to an inhumane destruction of the fruit of their body As the sinnes of the concupiscible part from slight motions grow on to foule executions so doe those of the irascible there is no sinne whose harbour is more vnsafe then of that of malice But oft-times the power of tyrants answers not their will euill commanders cannot alwayes meet with equally mischieuous agents The feare of God teaches the Midwiues to disobey an vniust command they well knew how no excuse it is for euill I was bidden God said to their hearts Thou shalt not kill This voice was lowder then Pharaohs I commend their obedience in disobeying I dare not commend their excuse there was as much weaknesse in their answer as strength in their practice as they feared God in not killing so they feared Pharaoh in dessembling oft-times those that make conscience of greater sinnes are ouertaken with lesse It is well and rare if we can come forth of a dangerous action without any foyle and if we haue escaped the storme that some after-drops wet vs not Who would not haue expected that the Midwiues should be murdered for not murthering Pharaoh could not be so simple to thinke these women a rusty yet his indignation had no power to reach to their punishment God prospered the Mid-wiues who can harme them Euen the not doing of euill is rewarded with good And why did they prosper Because they feared God Not for their dissimulation but their piety So did God regard their mercy that he regarded not their infirmity How fondly doe men lay the thanke vpon the sinne which is due to the vertue true wisedome teaches to distinguish Gods actions and to ascribe them to the right causes Pardon belongs to the lye of the Mid-wiues and remuneration to their goodnesse prosperity to their feare of God But that which the Mid-wiues will not the multitudes shall doe It were strange if wicked Rulers should not find some or other instruments of violence all the people must drowne whom the women saued Cruelty hath but smoked before now it â—ames vp secret practising hath made it shamelesse that now it dare proclaime tyranny It is a miserable state where euery man is made an executioner there can be no greater argument of an ill cause then a bloody persecution whereas Truth vpholds her selfe by mildnesse and is promoted by patience This is their act what was their issue The people must drowne their males themselues are drowned they died by the same meanes by which they caused the poore Israelitish infants to dye that law of retaliation which God will not allow to vs because we are fellow-creatures he iustly pactiseth in vs. God would haue vs reade our sinnes in our iudgements that we might both repent of our sins and giue glory to his iustice Pharaoh raged before much more now that he receiued a message of dismission the monitions of God make ill men worse the waues doe not beat nor roare any where so much as at the banke which restraines them Corruption when it is checked growes mad with rage as the vapour in a cloud would not make that fearfull report if it met not with opposition A good heart yeelds at the stillest voice of God but the most gracious motions of God harden the wicked Many would not be so desperately setled in their sinnes if the world had not controuled them How mild a message was this to Pharaoh and yet how galling We pray thee let vs goe God commands him that which he feared He tooke pleasure in the present seruitude of Israel God cals for a release If the sute had been for mitigation of labour for preseruation of their children it might haue caried some hope and haue found some fauour but now God requires that
touched of the purest Israelite Here the hem of his garment is touched by the woman that had the flux of blood yea his very face was touched with the lips of Iudas There the very earth vvas prohibited them on which he descended Here his very body and blood is profered to our touch and taste Oh the maruellous kindnesse of our God! How vnthankfull are we if we doe not acknowledge this mercy aboue his ancient people They were his owne yet strangers in comparison of our libertie It is our shame and sinne if in these meanes of intirenesse we be no better acquainted with God then they which in their greatest familiaritie vvere commanded aloofe God was euer wonderfull in his workes and fearfull in his iudgements but hee was neuer so terrible in the execution of his will as now in the promulgation of it Here was nothing but a maiesticall terrour in the eyes in the eares of the Israelites as if God meant to shew them by this how fearfull he could be Here was the lightning darted in their eyes the thunders roaring in their eares the Trumpet of God drowning the thunder claps the voice of God out-speaking the Trumpet of the Angell The Cloud enwrapping the smoake ascending the fire flaming the Mount trembling Moses climbing and quaking palenesse and death in the face of Israel vprore in the elements and all the glory of heauen turned into terrour In the destruction of the first World there were clouds without fire In the destruction of Sodom there was fire raining without clouds but here was fire smoake clouds thunder earthquakes and whatsoeuer might worke more astonishment then euer was in any vengeance inflicted And if the Law vvere thus giuen how shall it be required If such were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes what shall the Sessions bee I see and tremble at the resemblance The Trumpet of the Angell called vnto the one The voice of an Archangell the Trumpet of God shall summon vs to the other To the one Moses that climbed vp that Hill and alone saw it sayes God came with ten thousands of his Saints In the other thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shal stand before him In the one Mount Sinai onely was on a flame all the World shall be so in the other In the one there was fire smoake thunder and lightning In the other a fiery streame shall issue from him wherewith the heauens shall be dissolued and the Elements shall melt away vvith a noise Oh God how powerfull art thou to inflict vengeance vpon sinners who didst thus forbid sinne and if thou vvert so terrible a Law-giuer vvhat a Iudge shalt thou appeare What shall become of the breakers of so fierie a Law Oh vvhere shall those appeare that are guilty of the transgressing that law vvhose very deliuery vvas little lesse then death If our God should exact his Law but in the same rigour wherein he gaue it sinne could not quite the cost But now the fire vvherein it was deliuered was but terrifying the fire wherein it shall bee required is consuming Happy are those that are from vnder the terrours of that Law which was giuen in fire and in fire shall be required God would haue Israel see that they had not to do with some impotent Commander that is faine to publish his Lawes without noyse in dead paper which can more easily enioyne then punish or descry then execute and therefore before hee giues them a Law he shewes them that he can command Heauen Earth Fire Ayre in reuenge of the breach of the Law That they could not but thinke it deadly to displease such a Law-giuer or violate such dreadfull statutes that they might see all the Elements examples of that obedience which they should yeeld vnto their Maker This fire wherein the Law was giuen is still in it and will neuer out Hence are those terrours which it flashes in euery conscience that hath felt remorse of sinne Euery mans heart is a Sinai and resembles to him both heauen and hell The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law That they might see he could finde out their closest sinnes hee deliuers his Law in the light of fire from out of the smoake That they might see what is due to their sinnes they see fire aboue to represent the fire that should be below them That they might know he could waken their securitie the Thunder and louder voice of GOD speakes to their hearts That they might see what their hearts should doe the Earth quakes vnder them That they might see they could not shift their appearance the Angels call them together Oh royall Law and mighty Law-giuer How could they think of hauing any other God that had such proofes of this How could they think of making any resemblance of him whom they saw could not be seene and whom they saw in not being seene infinite How could they thinke of daring to profane his Name vvhom they heard to name himselfe with that voice Iehoua How could they thinke of standing vvith him for a day whom they saw to command that heauen vvhich makes and measures day How could they thinke of disobeying his Deputies whom they saw so able to reuenge How could they thinke of killing when they were halfe dead with the feare of him that could kill both body and soule How could they think of the flames of lust that saw such fires of vengeance How could they thinke of stealing from others that saw whose the heauen and the earth was to dispose of at his pleasure How could they thinke of speaking falsely that heard God speake in so fearfull a tone How could they thinke of coueting others goods that saw how vveake and vncertaine right they had to their owne Yea to vs vvas this Law so deliuered to vs in them neither had there beene such state in the promulgation of it if God had not intended it for Eternity We men that so feare the breach of humane Lawes for some small mulcts of forfeiture how should vvee feare thee O Lord that canst cast body and soule into hell Of the Golden Calfe IT was not much aboue a moneth since Israel made their couenant with God since they trembled to heare him say Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me since they saw Moses part from them and climbe vp the Hill to God and now they say Make vs Gods we know not what is become of this Moses Oh ye mad Israelites haue ye so soon forgotten that fire and thunder which you heard and saw Is that smoake vanished out of your minde as soone as out of your sight Could your hearts cease to tremble with the earth Can yee in the very sight of Sinai call for other Gods And for Moses was it not for your sakes that he thrust himselfe into the midst of that smoake and fire which ye feared to see afar off Was he not now gone after so many sudden
had set vp an Altar to the Calfe must serue at the Altar of God He that had melted and carued out the Calfe for a god must sacrifice Calues and Rams and Bullocks vnto the True God He that consecrated a day to the Idol is himselfe consecrated to him which was dishonored by the Idol The grosest of all sinnes cannot prejudice the calling of God Yea as the light is best seene in darknesse the mercy of God is most magnified in our vnworthinesse What a difference God puts betweene persons and sinnes While so many thousand Israelites were slaine and that had stomackfully desired the Idol Aaron that in weaknesse condescended is both pardoned the fact and afterwards laden with honour from God Let no man take heart to sinne from mercy He that can purpose to sinne vpon the knowledge of Gods mercy in the remission of infirmities presumes and makes himselfe a wilfull offender It is no comfort to the wilfull that there is remission to the weake and penitent The earings are pluckt off Aegyptian iewels are fit for an idolatrous vse This very gold was contagious It had been better the Israelites had neuer borrowed these ornaments then that they should pay them back to the Idolatry of their first owners What cost the superstitious Israelites are content to beat for this lewd deuotion The riches and pride of their outward habite are they willing to part with to their molten god as glad to haue their eares bare that they might fill their eyes No gold is too deare for their Idol each man is content to spoyle their wiues and children of that whereof they spoyled the Aegyptians Where are those worldlings that cannot abide to be at any cost for their Religion which could be content to doe God chargelesse seruice These very Israelites that were ready to giue Gold not out of their purses but from their very eares to mis-deuotion shall once condemne them O Sacriledge succeeding to Superstition Of old they were ready to giue gold to the false seruice of God we to take away gold from the true How doe we see men prodigall to their lusts and ambitions and we hate not to be niggards to God! This gold is now growne to a Calfe Let no man thinke that forme came forth casually out of the melted earings This shape was intended by the Israelites and perfected by Aaron they brought this god in their hearts with them out of Aegypt and now they set it vp in their eyes Still doth Aegypt hurt them Seruitude was the least euill that Israel receiues from Aegypt for that sent them still to the True God but this Idolatrous example led them to a false The very sight of euill is dangerous and it is hard for the heart not to runne into those sinnes to which the eye and care is inured Not out of loue but custome we fall into some offences The Israelites wrought so long in the furnaces of the Aegyptian bricke that they haue brought forth a molten Calfe The blacke Calfe with the white spots which they saw worshipped in Aegypt hath stolne their hearts And they which before would haue beene at the Aegyptian flesh-pots would now be at their deuotions How many haue falne into a fashion of swearing scoffing drinking out of the vsuall practice of others as those that liue in an ill ayre are infected with diseases A man may passe thorow Aethiopia vnchanged but he cannot dwell there and not be discoloured Their sin was bad enough let not our vncharitablenesse make it worse No man may thinke they haue so put off humanity and sense with their Religion as to thinke that Calfe a god or that this Idoll which they saw yesterday made did bring them out of Aegypt three moneths agoe This were to make them more beasts then that Calfe which this Image represented Or if they should haue been so insensate can we thinke that Aaron could be thus desperately mad The Image and the Holy-day were both to one Deity To morrow is the Holyday of the Lord your God It was the true God they meant to worship in the Calfe and yet at best this Idolatry is shamefull It is no maruell if this foule sinne seeke pretences yet no excuse can hide the shame of such a face Gods iealousie is not stirred onely by the riuality of a false God but of a false worship nothing is more dangerous then to mint Gods seruices in our owne braine God sends downe Moses to remedy this sinne He could as easily haue preuented as redressed it He knew ere Moses came vp what Israel would doe ere he came downe like as he knew the two Tables would be broken ere he gaue them God most wisely permits and ordaines sinne to his owne ends without our excuse And though he could easily by his owne hands remedy euils yet he will doe it by meanes both ordinary and subordinate It is not for vs to looke for an immediate redresse from God when we haue a Moses by whom it may bee wrought Since God himselfe expects this from man why should man expect it from God Now might Moses haue found a time to haue beene euen with Israel for all their vnthankfulnesse and mutinous insurrections Let mee alone I will consume them and make thee a mighty Nation Moses should not neede to sollicite God for reuenge God sollicits him in a sort for leaue to reuenge Who would look for such a word from God to Man Let me alone As yet Moses had said nothing Before hee opens his mouth God preuents his importunitie as fore-seeing that holy violence which the requests of Moses would offer to him Moses stood trembling before the Maiestie of his Maker and yet heares him say Let me alone The mercy of our God hath as it were obliged his power to the faith of men The feruent prayers of the faithfull hold the hands of the Almighty As I finde it said afterwards of Christ That hee could doe no miracles there because of their vnbeliefe So now I heare God as if he could not do execution vpon Israel because of Moses's faith say Let me alone that I may consume them We all naturally affect propriety and like our owne so much better as it is freer from partners Euery one would be glad to say with that proud one I am and there is none beside me so much the more sweetly would this message haue sounded to nature I will consume them and make of thee a mighty Nation How many indeuour that not without danger of curses and vprore which was voluntarily tendred vnto Moses Whence are our depopulations and inclosures but for that men cannot abide either fellowes or neighbours But how graciously doth Moses striue with God against his owne preferment If God had threatned I will consume thee and make of them a mighty Nation I doubt whether he could haue beene more moued The more a man can leaue himselfe behind him and aspire to a care of communitie the more spirituall he
leaues to the sword of humane authority that hee might winne awe to his owne ordinances As the sinnes of great men are exemplary so are their punishments Nothing procures so much credit to gouernment as strict and impartiall executions of great and noble offenders Those whom their sinnes haue embased deserue no fauour in the punishment As God knowes no honour no royalty in matter of sinne no more may his Deputies Contrarily conniuence at the outrages of the mighty cuts the sinewes of any State neither doth any thing make good lawes more contemptible then the making difference of offenders that small sacriledges should bee punished when great ones ride in triumph If good ordinations turne once to Spiders webs which are broken thorow by the bigger Flyes no hand will feare to sweepe them downe God was angry Moses and all good Israelites grieued the heads hanged vp the people plagued yet behold one of the Princes of Israel feares not to braue God and his Ministers in that sinne which he sees so grieuously reuenged in others I can neuer wonder enough at the impudence of this Israelite Here is fornication an odious crime and that of an Israelite whose name challenges holinesse yea of a Prince of Israel whose practice is a rule to inferiours and that with a woman of Midian with whom euen a chaste contract had beene vnlawfull and that with contempt of all gouernment and that in the face of Moses and all Israel and that in a time of mourning and iudgement for that same offence Those that haue once passed the bounds of modesty soone grow shamelesse in their sinnes Whiles sinne hides it selfe in corners there is yet hope for where there is shame there is a possibility of grace but when once it dare looke vpon the Sunne and sends challenges to authority the case is desperate and ripe for iudgement This great Simeonite thought he might sinne by priuiledge He goes as if he said Who dares controll me His nobility hath raised him aboue the reach of correction Commonly the sinnes of the mighty are not without presumption and therefore their vengeance is no lesse then their security and their punishment is so much greater as their conceit of impunity is greater All Israel saw this bold lewdnesse of Zimri but their hearts and eyes were so full of griefe that they had not roome enough for indignation Phineas lookt on with the rest but with other affections When he saw this defiance bidden to God and this insultation vpon the sorrow of his people that whiles they were wringing their hands a proud miscreant durst out-face their humiliation with his wicked dalliance his hart boiles with a desire of an holy reuenge and now that hand which was vsed to a Censer and sacrificing knife takes vp his Iauelin and with one stroke ioynes these two bodies in their death which were ioyned in their sin and in the very flagrance of their lust makes a new way for their soules to their owne place O noble and heroicall courage of Phineas which as it was rewarded of God so is worthy to be admired of men He doth not stand casting of scruple Who am I to doe this The son of the high Priest My place is all for peace and mercy It is for mee to sacrifice and pray for the sinne of the people not to sacrifice any of the people for their sinne My duty cals me to appease the anger of God what I may not to reuenge the sins of men to pray for their conuersion not to worke the confusion of any sinner and who are these Is not the one a great Prince in Israel the other a Princesse of Midian Can the death of two so famous persons go vnreuenged Or if it be safe and fit why doth my vncle Moses rather shead his owne teares then their blood I will mourne with the rest let them reuenge whom it concerneth But the zeale of God hath barred out all weake deliberations and he holds it now both his duty and his glory to be an executioner of so shamelesse a paire of offenders God loues this heat of zeale in all the cariages of his seruants And if it transport vs too far hee pardoneth the errors of our feruency rather then the indifferences of lukewarmnesse As these two were more beasts then any that euer he sacrificed so the shedding of their blood was the acceptablest sacrifice that euer hee offered vnto God for both all Israel is freed from the plague and all his posteritie haue the Priesthood entayled to them so long as the Iewes were a people Next to our prayes there is no better sacrifice then the blood of malefactors not as it is theirs but as it is shed by authority Gouernors are faulty of those sinns they punish not There can be no better sighâ— in any State then to see a malefactor at the Gallowes It is not enough for vs to stand gazing vpon the wickednesse of the times yea although with teares vnlesse we endeuor to redresse it especially publike persons cary not their Iauelin in their hand for nought Euery one is ready to aske Phineas for his commission and those that are willing to salue vp the act plead extraordinary instinct from God who no doubt would not haue accepted that which himselfe wrought not But what need I run so far for this warrant when I heare God say to Moses Hang vp all the heads of Israel and Moses say to the Vnder-Rulers Euery one slay his men that are ioyned to Baal-Peor Euery Israelite is now made a Magistrate for this execution and why not Phineas amongst the rest Doth his Priesthood exempt him from the blood of sinners How then doth Samuel hew Agag in pieces Euen those may make a carkasse which may not touch it And if Leui got the Priesthood by shedding the blood of Idolaters why may it not stand with that Priesthood to spill the blood of a fornicator and Idolater Ordinary iustice will beare out Phineas in this act It is not for euery man to challenge this office this which double proclamation allowed to Phineas All that priuate persons can doe is either to lift vp their hands to heauen for redresse of sinne or to lift vp their hands against the sinne not against the person Who made thee a Iudge is a lawfull question if iâ—â—eer with a person vnwarranted Now the sinne is punished the plague ceaseth The reuenge of God sets out euer after the sinne but if the reuenge of men which commonly comes later can ouertake it God giues ouer the chase How oft hath the infliction of a lesse punishment auoided a greater There are none so good friends to the State as couragious and impartiall ministers of iustice These are the reconcilers of God and the people more then the prayers of them that fit still and doe nothing Of the death of MOSES AFter many painfull and perillous enterprises now is Moses drawing to his rest He hath brought his Israelites froÌ„
Egypt thorow the Sea and wildernesse within the sight of their promised Land and now himselfe must take possession of that Land whereof Canaan was but a type When we haue done that we came for it is time for vs to be gone This earth is made only for action not for fruition the seruices of Gods children should be ill rewarded if they must stay here alwaies Let no man thinke much that those are fetcht away which are faithful to God They should not change if it were not to their preferment It is our folly that wee would haue good men liue for euer and account it an haâ—d measure that they were Hee that lends them to the world owes them a better turne then this earth can pay them It were iniurious to wish that goodnesse should hinder any man from glory So is the death of Gods Saints precious that it is certaine Moses must goe vp to mount Nebo and die The time the place and euery circumstance of his dissolution is determined That one dyes in the field another in his bed another in the water one in a forraine Nation another in his owne is fore-decreed in heauen And though we heare it not vocally yet God hath called euery man by his name and saith Die thou there One man seemes to dye casually another by an inexpected violence both fall by a destiny and all is set downe to vs by an eternall decree He that brought vs into the world will cary vs out according to his owne purposes Moses must ascend vp to the hill to dye He receiued his charge for Israel vpon the hill of Sinai And now hee deliuers vp his charge on the hill of Nebo His brother Aaron dyed on one hill hee on another As Christ was transfigured on an hill so was this excellent type of his neither doubt I but that these hills were types to them of that heauen whither they were aspiring It is the goodnesse of our God that hee will nor haue his children dye any where but where they may see the Land of Promise before them neither can they depart without much comfort to haue seene it Contrarily a wicked man that lookes downe and sees hell before him how can hee choose but find more horrour in the end of death then in the way How familiarly doth Moses heare of his end It is no more betwixt God and Moses but goe vp and dye If he had inuited him to a meale it could not haue beene in a more sociable compellation No otherwise then he said to his other Prophet Vp and eate It is neither harsh nor newes to Gods children to heare or thinke of their departure To them death hath lost his horror through acquaintance Those faces which at first sight seemed ill-fauoured by oft viewing grow out of dislike They haue so oft thought and resolued of the necessity and of the issue of their dissolution that they cannot hold it either strange or vnwelcome He that hath had such entire conuersation with God cannot feare to goe to him Those that know him not or know that he will not know them no maruell if they tremble This is no small fauour that God warnes Moses of his end he that had so oft made Moses of his counsel what he meant to do with Israel would not now do ought with himselfe without his knowledge Expectation of any maine euent is a great aduantage to a wise heart If the fiery chariot had fetcht away Elias vnlookt for wee should haue doubted of the fauour of his transportation It is a token of iudgement to come as a theefe in the night God forewarnes one by sicknesse another by age another by his secret instincts to prepare for their end If our hearts bee not now in readinesse we are worthy to be surprized But what is this I heare Displeasure mixed with loue and that to so faithfull a seruant as Moses He must but see the Land of Promise he shall not tread vpon it because he once long agoe sinned in distrusting Death though it were to him an entrance into glory yet shall be also a chastisement of his infidelity How many noble proofes had Moses giuen of his courage and strength of faith How many gracious seruices had he done to his Master Yet for one act of distrust he must bee gathered to his Fathers All our obediences cannot beare out one sinne against God How vainly shall we hope to make amends to God for our former trespasses by our better behauiour when Moses hath this one sinne laid in his dish after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelitie When we haue forgotten our sinnes yet God remembers them and although not in anger yet he cals for our arrerages Alas what shall become of them with whom God hath ten thousand greater quarrels that amongst many millions of sinnes haue scattered some few acts of formall seruices If Moses must die the first death for one fault how shall they escape the second for sinning alwayes Euen where God loues he will not winke at sinne and if he doe not punish yet he will chastise How much lesse can it stand with that eternall Iustice to let wilfull sinners escape iudgement It might haue beene iust with God to haue reserued the cause to himselfe and in a generalitie to haue told Moses that his sinne must shorten his iourney but it is more of mercy then iustice that his children shall know why they smart That God may at once both iustifie himselfe and humble them for their particular offences Those to whom he meanes vengeance haue not the sight of their sinnes till they be past repentance Complaine not that God vpbraides thee with thy old sinnes whosoeuer thou art but know it is an argument of loue whereas concealement is a fearefull signe of a secret dislike from God But what was that noted sinne which deserues this late exprobation and shall cary so sharpe a chastisement Israel murmured for water God bids Moses take the rod in his hand and speak to the rock to giue water Moses in stead of speaking and striking the rocke with his voice strikes it with the rod Here was his sinne An ouer-reaching of his commission a fearefulnesse and distrust of the effect The rod he knew was approued for miracles he knew not how powerfull his voyce might be therefore hee did not speake but strike and he strooke twice for failing And now after these many yeares hee is striken for it of God It is a dangerous thing in diuine matters to goe beyond our warrant Those sinnes which seeme triuiall to men are haynous in the account of God Any thing that fauours of infidelity displeases him more then some other crimes of morality Yet the mouing of the Rod was but a diuerse thing from the mouing of the tongue it was not contrary He did not forbid the one but he commanded the other This was but acrosse the streame not against it where shall they appeare whose whole
or remoue our Patrimony to the Altar the Patterne of the Altar shall goe with vs not for sacrifice but for memoriall that both the posterity of the other Israelites may know we are no lesse deriued from them then this Altar from theirs and that our posterity may know they pertaine to that Altar whereof this is the resemblance There was no danger of the present but posterity might both offer and receiue preiudice if this Monument were not It is a wise and holy care to preuent the dangers of ensuing times and to settle religion vpon the succeeding generations As we affect to leaue a perpetuity of our bodily issue so much more to traduce piety with them Doe wee not see good husbands set and plant those trees whereof their grand-children shall receiue the first fruit and shade Why are wee lesse thrifty in leauing true religion intire to our childrens children EHVD and EGLON AS euery man is guilty of his owne sorrow these Isaelites bred mischiefe to themselues It was their mercy that plagued them with those Canaanites which their obedience should haue rooted out If foolish pitty be a more humane sinne yet it is no lesse dangerous then cruelty Cruelty kils others vniust pitty kils our selues They had been Lords alone of the promised Land if their commiseration had not ouer-swayed their iustice and now their enemies are too cruell to them in the iust reuenge of God because they were too mercifull That God which in his reuealed will had commanded all the Canaanites to the slaughter yet secretly giues ouer Israel to a toleration of some Canaanites for their owne punishment Hee hath bidden vs cleanse our hearts of all our corruptions yet hee will permit some of these thornes still in our sides for exercise for humiliation If we could lay violent hands vpon our sinnes our soules should haue peace now our indulgence costs vs many stripes and many teares what a continued circle is here of sinnes iudgements repentance deliuerances The conuersation with Idolaters taints them with sinne their sinne drawes on iudgements the smart of the iudgement moues them to repentance vpon their repentance followes speedy deliuerance vpon their peace and deliuerance they sinne againe Othniel Calebs nephew had rescued them from Idolatry and seruitude his life and their innocence and peace ended together How powerfull the presence of one good man is in a Church or State is best found in his losse A man that is at once eminent in place and goodnesse is like a stake in a hedge pull that vp and all the rest are but loose and rotten sticks easily remoued or like the piller of a vaulted roofe which either supports or ruines the building Who would not thinke Idolatry an absurd and vnnaturall sinne which as it hath the fewest inducements so had also the most direct inhibitions from God and yet after all these warnings Israel falls into it againe Neither affliction nor repentance can secure an Israelite from redoubling the worst sinne if he be left to his owne frailty It is no censuring of the truth of our present sorrow by the euent of a following miscarriage The former cryes of Israel to God were vnfained yet their present wickednesse is abominable Let him that thinkes he stands take heed lest he fall No sooner had he said Israel had rest but he addes They committed wickednesse The security of any people is the cause of their corruption standing waters soone grow noysome Whiles they were exercised with warre how scrupulous were they of the least intimation of Idolatry the newes of a bare Altar beyond Iordan drew them together for a reuenge now they are at peace with their enemies they are at variance with God It is both hard and happy not to be the worse with liberty The sendentary life is most subiect to diseases Rather then Israel shall want a scourge for their sinne God himselfe shall raise them vp an enemy Moab had no quarrell but his owne ambition but God meant by the ambition of the one part to punish the Idolatry of the other his iustice can make one sinne the executioner of another whiles neitheir shall look for any other measure from him but iudgement The euill of the City is so his that the instrument is not guiltlesse Before God had stirred vp the King of Syria against Israel now the King of Moab afterwards the King of Canaan Hee hath more variety of iudgements then there can be offences if we haue once made him our aduersary he shall be sure to make vs aduersaries enow which shall reuenge his quarrell whiles they prosecute their owne Euen those were Idolaters by whose hands God plagued the Idolatries of Israel In Moab the same wickednesse prospers which in Gods own people is punished the iustice of the Almighty can least brooke euill in his own the same heathen which prouoked Israel to sinne shall scourge them for sinning Our very profession hurts vs if we be not innocent No lesse then eighteene yeeres did the rod of Moab rest vpon the inheritance of God Israel seemes as borne to seruitude they came from their bondage in the Land of Egypt to serue in the Land of Promise They had neglected God now they are neglected of God their sinnes haue made them seruants whom the choyce of God had made free yea his first borne Worthy are they to serue those men whose false gods they had serued and to serue them alwaies in thraldome whom they haue once serued in Idolatry Wee may not measure the continuance of punishment by the time of the commission of sinne one minutes sinne deserues a torment beyond all time Doubtlesse Israel was not so insensible of their owne misery as not to complaine sooner then the end of eighteen yeers The first houre they sighed for themselues but now they cried vnto God The very purpose of affliction is to make vs importunate He that heares the secret murmurs of our griefe yet will not seeme to heare vs till our cries be loud and strong God sees it best to let the penitent dwell for the time vnder their sorrowes he sees vs sinking all the while yet he lets vs alone til we be at the bottome and when once we can say Out of the depths haue I cried to thee instantly followes The Lord heard me A vehement suter cannot but be heard of God whatsoeuer hee askes If our prayers want successe they want heart their blessing is according to their vigour Wee liue in bondage to these spirituall Moabites our owne corruptions It discontents vs but where are our strong cries vnto the God of heauen where are our teares If we could passionately bemoane our selues to him how soone should wee bee more then conquerours Some good motions wee haue to send vp to him but they faint in the way We may call long enough if wee cry not to him The same hand that raised vp Eglon against Israel raised vp also Ehud for Israel against Eglon When that Tyrant
not trust to my friendship and hospitality But what doe these weake feares these idle fancies of ciuility If Sisera be in league with vs yet is he not at defiance with God Is he not a Tyrant to Israel Is it for nothing that God hath brought him into my Tent May I not now find meanes to repay vnto Israel all their kindnes to my Grand-father Iethro Doth not God offer mee this day the honour to be the Rescuer of his people Hath God forbidden me strike and shall I hold my hand No Sisera sleepe now thy last and take here this fatall reward of all thy cruelty and oppression He that put this instinct into her heart did put also strength into her hand He that guided Sisera to her Tent guided the naile thorow his temples which hath made a speedy way for his soule thorow those parts and now hath fastned his eare so close to the earth as if the body had been listening what was become of the soule There lyes now the great terror of Israel at the foote of a woman He that brought so many hundred thousands into the Field hath not now one Page left either to auert his death or to accompany it or bewaile it He that had vaunted of his yron chariots is slaine by one naile of yron wanting onely this one point of his infelicity that he knowes not by whose hand he perished GIDEONS Calling THe iudgements of God still the further they goe the forer they are the bondage of Israel vnder Iabin was great but it was freedome in comparison of the yoke of the Midianites During the former tyranny Deborah was permitted to iudge Israel vnder a Palme-tree Vnder this not so much as priuate habitations will be allowed to Israel Then the seat of iudgement was in sight of the Sun now their very dwellings must be secret vnder the earth They that reiected the protection of God are glad to seeke to the mountaines for shelter and as they had sauagely abused themselues so they are faine to creepe into dens and caues of the rocks like wilde creatures for safegard God had sowen spirituall seede amongst them and they suffered their heathenish neighbors to pull it vp by the rootes and now no sooner can they sowe their materiall seede but Midianites and Amalckites are ready by force to destroy it As they inwardly dealt with God so God deales outwardly by them Their eyes may tell them what their souls haue done yet that God whose mercy is aboue the worst of our sinnes sends first his Prophet with a message of reproofe and then this Angell with a message of deliuerance The Israelites had smarted enough with their seruitude yet God sends them a sharpe rebuke It is a good signe wheÌ„ God chides vs his round reprehensions are euer gracious fore-runners of mercy whereas his silent conniuence at the wicked argues deepe and secret displeasure The Prophet made way for the Angell reproofe for deliuerance humiliation for comfort Gideon was threshing Wheat by the Wine-presse Yet Israel hath both Wheat and Wine for all the incursions of their enemies The worst estate out of hell hath either some comfort or at least some mittigation in spight of all the malice of the world God makes secret prouision for his owne How should it be but hee that ownes the earth and all creatures should reserue euer a sufficiency from forrainers such the wicked are for his houshold In the worst of the Medianitish tyranny Gideons field barne are priueledged as his fleece was afterwards from the showre Why did Gideon thrâ—sh his corne To hide it Not from his neighbours but his enemies his Granary might easily be more close then his barne As then Israelites threshed out their come to hide it from the Midianites but now Midianites thresh out come to hide it from the Israelites These rurall Tyrants of our time doe not more lay vp come then curses he that withdraweth come the people will curse him yea God will curse him with them and for them What shifts nature will make to liue Oh that we could be so carefull to lay vp spirituall food for our soules out of the reach of those spirituall Midianites we could not but liue in despight of all aduersaries The Angels that haue euer God in their face and in their thoughts haue him also in the mouthes The Lord is with thee But this which appeared vnto Gideon was the Angell of the Couenant the Lord of Angels Whiles he was with Gideon he might well fall The Lord is with thee He that sent the comforter was also the true Comforter of his Church he well knew how to lay a sure ground of consolation and that the onely remedy of sorrow and beginning of true ioy is The presence of God The griefe of the Apostles for the expected losse of their Master could neuer be cured by any receit but this of the same Angel Behold I am with you to the end of the World What is our glory but the fruition of Gods presence The punishment of the damned is a separation from the beatificall face of God needs must therefore his absence in this life be a great torment to a good heart and no crosse can be equiualent to this beginning of heauen in the Elect The Lord is with thee Who can complaine either of solitarinesse or opposition that hath God with him With him not onely as a witnesse but as a party Euen wicked men and diuels cannot exclude God not the barres of hell can shut him out He is with them perforce but to iudge to punish them yea God will be euer with them to their cost but to protect comfort saue he is with none but his Whiles he calls Gideon valiant he makes him so How could he be but valiant that had God with him The godlesse man may be carelesse but cannot be other then cowardly It pleases God to acknowledge his own graces in men that he may interchange his owne glory with their comfort how much more should we confesse the graces of one another An enuious nature is preiudiciall to God he is a strange man in whom there is not some visible good yea in the Diuels themselues we may easily note some commendable parts of knowledge strength agility Let God haue his owne in the worst creature yea let the worst creature haue that praise which God would put vpon it Gideon cannot passe ouer this salutation as some fashionable complement but layes hold on that part which was most important the tenure of all his comfort and as not regarding the praise of his valour inquires after that which should be the ground of his valour the presence of God God had spoken particularly to him he expostulates for all It had beene possible God should be present with him not with the rest as hee promised to haue been with Moses not Israel and yet when God sayes The Lord is with thee he answeres Alasse Lord if the Lord be with
vs. Gideon cannot conceiue of himselfe as an exempt person but puts himselfe among the throng of Israel as one that could not be sensible of any particular comfort while the common case of Israel laboured The maine care of a good heart is still for the publike neither can it enioy it selfe while the Church of God is distressed As faith drawes home generalities so charity diffuses generalities from it selfe to all Yet the valiant man was here weake weake in faith weake in discourse whiles hee argues Gods absence by affliction his presence by deliuerances and the vnlikelihood of successe by his owne disability all grosse inconsequences Rather should he haue inferred Gods presence vpon their correction for wheresoeuer God chastises there he is yea there he is in mercy Nothing more proues vs his then his stripes he will not bestow whipping where he loues not Fond nature thinkes God should not suffer the winde to blow vpon his deare ones because her selfe makes this vse of her owne indulgence but none out of the place of torment haue suffered so much as his dearest children He saies not we are Idolaters therfore the Lord hath forsaken vs because we haue forsaken him This sequell had been as good as the other was faultie The Lord hath deliuered vs vnto the Midianites therefore he hath forsaken vs Sinnes not afflictions argue God absent Whiles Gideon bewrayeth weaknes God both giues him might and imployes it Goe in this thy might and saue Israel Who would not haue looked that God should haue looked angerly on him and chid him for his vnbeliefe But he whose mercy will not quench the weakest fire of grace though it be but in flax lookes vpon him with compassionate eyes and to make good his owne word giues him that valour he had acknowledged Gideon had not yet said Lord deliuer Israel much lesse had he said Lord deliuer Israel by my hand The mercy of God preuents the desire of Gideon if God should not begin with vs we should be euer miserable if he should not giue vs till we aske yet who should giue vs to aske if his Spirit did not worke those holy grones and sighes in vs we should neuer make sute to God He that commonly giues vs power to craue sometimes giues vs without crauing that the benifit might be so much more welcome by how much lesse it was expected we so much more thankfull as he is more forward When he bids vs aske it is not for that hee needs to be intreated but that he may make vs more capeable of blessings by desiring them And where he sees feruent desires he stayes not for words and he that giues ere we aske how much more will he giue when we aske He that hath might enough to deliuer Israel yet hath not might enough to keepe himselfe from doubting The strongest faith will euer haue some touch of infidelity And yet this was not so much a distrust of the possibility of deliuering Israel as an inquiry after the meanes Whereby shall I saue Israel The salutation of the Angell to Gideon was as like to Gabriels salutation of the blessed Virgin as their answeres were like Both Angels brought newes of deliuerance both were answered with a question of the meanes of performance with a report of the difficulties in performing Ah my Lord whereby shall I saue Israel How the good man disparages himselfe It is a great matter O Lord thou that speakest of and great actions require mighty Agents As for me who am I My Tribe is none of the greatest in Israel My Fathers family is one of the meanest in his Tribe and I the meanest in his family Pouerty is a sufficient barre to great enterprises Whereby shall I Humility is both a signe of following glory and a way to it and an occasion of it Bragging and height of spirit will not carry it with God None haue euer been raised by him but those which haue formerly deiected themselues None haue been confounded by him that haue been abased in themselues Thereupon it is that he addes I will therefore bee with thee as if he had answered Hadst thou not been so poore in thy self I would not haue wrought by thee How should God be magnified in his mercies if we were not vnworthy How should hee be strong if not in our weakenesse All this while Gideon knew not it was an Angell that spake with him He saw a man stand before him like a Traueller with a staffe in his hand The vnusualnesse of those reuelations in those corrupted times was such that Gideon might thinke of any thing rather then an Angell No maruell if so strange a promise from an vnknowne messenger found not a perfect assent Faine would hee beleeue but faine would hee haue good warrant for his faith In matters of faith we cannot goe vpon too sure grounds As Moses therefore being sent vpon the same errand desired a signe whereby Israel might know that God sent him So Gideon desires a signe from this bearer to know that his newes is from God Yet the very hope of so happy newes not yet ratified stirres vp in Gideon both ioy and thankfulnesse After all the iniury of the Midianites he was not so poore but hee could bestow a Kid cakes vpon the Reporter of such tidings Those which are rightly affected with the glad newes of our spirituall deliuerance studie to shew their louing respects to the messengers The Angell stayes for the repairing of Gideons feast Such pleasure doth God take in the thankfull indeuours of his seruants that he patiently waites vpon the leysure of our performances Gideon intended a dinner the Angell turned it into a sacrifice He whose meat and drinke it was to doe his Fathers will cals for the broth and flesh to be powred out vpon the stone And when Gideon lookt he should haue blessed and eaten he touches the feast with his staffe and consumes it with fire from the stone and departed He did not strike the stone with his staffe for the attrition of two hard bodies would naturally beget fire but he touched the meat and brought fire from the stone And now whiles Gideon saw and wondred at the spirituall act he lost the sight of the Agent He that came without intreating would not haue departed without taking leaue but that he might increase Gideons wonder and that his wonder might increase his faith His salutation therefore was not so strange as his farewell Moses touched the rocke with his staffe and brought forth water and yet a man and yet continued with the Israelites This messenger touches the stone with his staffe and brings forth fire and presently vanishes that he may approue himselfe a spirit And now Gideon when head had gathered vp himselfe must needs thinke He that can raise fire out of a stone can raise courage and power out of my dead breast He that by this fire hath consumed the broth and flesh can by the feeble flame of
but lust most of all Neuer man that had drunke flagons of wine had lesse reason then this Nazarite Many a one loses his life but this casts it away not in hatred of himselfe but in loue to a strumpet Wee wonder that a man could possibly be so sottish and yet wee our selues by tentation become no lesse insensate Sinfull pleasures like a common Dalilah lodge in our bosomes we know they aime at nothing but the death of our soule wee will yeeld to them and die Euery willing sinner is a Samson let vs not inueigh against his senslesnesse but our own Nothing is so grosse and vnreasonable to a well-disposed minde which tentation will not represent fit and plausible No soule can out of his owne strength secure himselfe from that sinne which he most detesteth As an hood-winkt man sees some little glimmering of light but not enough to guide him so did Samson who had reason enough left him to make triall of Dalilah by a crafty mis-information but not enough vpon that triall to distrust and hate her he had not wit enough to deceiue her thrice not enough to keepe himselfe from being deceiued by her It is not so great wisedome to proue them whom we distrust as it is folly to trust them whom we haue found trecherous Thrice had he seen the Philistims in her chamber ready to surprize him vpon her bonds and yet will needs be a slaue to his Traytor Warning not taken is a certaine presage of destruction and if once neglected it receiue pardon yet thrice is desperate What man would euer play thus with his owne ruine His harlot bindes him and calls in her executioners to cut his throat he rises to saue his own life and suffers them to carry away theirs in peace Where is the courage of Samson Where his zeale He that killed the Philistims for their clothes He that slew a thousand of them in the field at once in this quarrel now suffers them in his chamber vnreuenged Whence is this His hands were strong but his heart was effeminate his harlot had diuerted his affection Whosoeuer slackens the reines to his sensuall appetite shall soone grow vnfit for the calling of God Samson hath broke the green withies the new ropes the woofe of his haire and yet still suffers himselfe fettered with those inuisible bonds of an harlots loue and can indure her to say How canst thou say I loue thee when thy heart is not with me thou hast mocked me these three times Whereas he should rather haue said to her How canst thou challenge any loue from me that hast thus thice sought my life O canst thou thinke my mockes a sufficient reuenge of this trechery But contraily he melts at this fire and by her importunate insinuations is wrought against himselfe Wearinesse of sollicitation hath won some to those actions which at the first motion they despised like as we see some suters are dispatcht not for the equity of the cause but the trouble of the prosecution because it is more easie to yeeld not more reasonable It is more safe to keepe our selues out of the noyâ—e of suggestions then to stand vpon our power of deniall Who can pitty the losse of that strength which was so abused who can pitty him the losse of his locks which after so many warnings can sleepe in the lappe of Dalilah It is but iust that he should rise vp from thence shauen and feeble not a Nazarite scarce a man If his strength had lyen in his haire it had been out of himselfe it was not therefore in his locks it was in his consecration whereof that haire was a signe If the razor had come sooner vpon his head he had ceased to be a Nazarite and the gift of God had at once ceased with the calling of God not for the want of that excretioÌ„ but for the want of obedience If God withdraw his graces when he is too much prouoked who can complain of his mercy He that sleeps in sinne must looke to wake in losse and weaknesse Could Samson thinke Though I tell her my strength lies in my haire yet she will not cut it or though she doe cut my haire yet shall I not lose my strength that now he rises and shakes himselfe in hope of his former vigor Custome of successe makes men confident in their sinnes and causes them to mistake an arbitrary tenure for a perpetuity His eyes were the first offenders which betrayed him to lust and now they are first pulled out and he is ledde a blinde captiue to Azzah where he was first captiued to his lust The Azzahites which lately saw him not without terror running lightly away with their gates at midnight see him now in his own perpetuall night strugling with his chaines and that he may not want paine together with his bondage he must grind in his prison As he passed the street euery boy among the Philistims could not throw stons at him euery woman could laugh and shout at him and what one Philistim doth not say whiles he lashes him vnto bloud There is for my brothers or my kinsman whom thou slewest Who can looke to run away with a sin when Samson a Nazarite is thus plagued This great heart could not but haue broken with indignation if it had not pacified it selfe with the conscience of the iust desert of all this vengeance It is better for Samson to be blinde in prison then to abuse his eyes in Soreâ— yea I may safely say he was more blind when he saw licentiously then now that he sees not He was a greater slaue when he serued his affections then now in grinding for the Philistims The losse of his eyes shewes him his sinne neither could he see how ill he had done till he saw not Euen yet still the God of mercy lookt vpon the blindnesse of Samson and in these fetters enlargeth his heart from the worse prison of his sinne his haire grew together with his repentance and his strength with his haire Gods mercifull humiliations of his owne are sometimes so seuere that they seeme to differ little from desertions yet at the worst hee loues vs bleeding and when we haue smarted enough we shall feele it What thankfull Idolaters were these Philistims They could not but know that their bribes and their Delilah had deliuered Samson to them and yet they sacrifice to their Dagon and as those that would be liberall in casting fauours vpon a senselesse Idoll of whom they could receiue none they cry out Our god hath deliuered our enemie into our hands Where was their Dagon when a thousand of his clyents were slain with an Asses iaw There was more strength in that bone then in all the makers of this god and yet these vaine Pagans say Our god It is the quality of superstition to misinterpret all euents and so feede it selfe with the conceit of those fauours which are so farre from being done that their authors neuer
incouraged it insults and tyrannizes It was more iust that Israel should rise against Beniamin then that Beniamin should rise for Gibeah by how much it is better to punish offenders then to shelter the offenders from punishing And yet the wickednesse of Beniamin sped better for the time then the honesty of Israel Twise was the better part foyled by the lesse and worse The good cause was sent backe with shame the euill returned with victory and triumph O God! their hand was for thee in the fight thy hand was with them in their fall They had not fought for thee but by thee neither could they haue miscarried in the fight if thou hadst not fought against them Thou art iust and holy in both The cause was thine the sinne in managing of it was their owne They fought in an holy quarrell but with confidence in themselues for as presuming of victory they aske of God not what should be their successe but who should be their Captaine Number and innocence made them too secure I was iust therefore with God to let them feele that euen good zeale cannot beare out presumption and that victorie lies not in the cause but in the God that ownes it Who cannot imagine how much the Beniaminites insulted in their double field and day And now beganne to thinke God was on their side Those swords which had been taught the way into forty thousand bodies of their brethren cannot feare a new encounter Wicked men cannot see their prosperity a piece of their curse neither can examine their actions but the euents Soone after thy shall finde what it was to adde bloud vnto filthinesse and that the victorie of an euill cause is the way to ruine and confusion I should haue feared lest this double discomfiture should haue made Israel either distrustfull or weary of a good cause but still I finde them no lesse couragious with more humility Now they fast and weepe and sacrifice These weapons had beene victorious in their first assault Beniamin had neuer been in danger of pride for ouercomming if this humiliation of Israel had preuented the fight It is seldome seene but that which we doe with feare prospereth whereas confidence in vndertaking layes euen good endeuours in the dust Wickednesse could neuer bragge of any long prosperity nor complaine of the lacke of paiment Still God is euen with it at the last Now he payes the Beniaminites both that death which they had lent to the Israelites and that wherein they stood indebted to their brotherhood of Gibeah And now that both are met in death there is as much difference betwixt those Israelites and these Beniaminites as betwixt Martyrs and Malefactors To die in a sinne is a fearefull reuenge of giuing patronage to sinne The sword consumes their bodies another fire their Cities whatsoeuer became of their soules Now might Rachel haue iustly wept for her children because they were not for behold the men women and children of her wicked Tribe are cut off only some few scattered remainders ran away from this vengeance and lurked in caues and rockes both for feare and shame There was no difference but life betwixt their brethren and them the earth couered them both yet vnto them doth the reuenge of Israel stretch it selfe and vowes to destroy if not their persons yet their succession as holding them vnworthy to receiue any comfort by that sex to which they had been so cruell both in act and maintenance If the Israelites had not held marriage and issue a very great blessing they had not thus reuenged themselues of Beniamin now they accounted the with-holding of their wiues a punishment second to death The hope of life in our posterity is the next contentment to an enioying of life in our selues They haue sworne and now vpon cold bloud repent them If the oath were not iust why would they take it and if it were iust why did they recant it If the act were iustifiable what needed these teares Euen a iust oath may be rashly taken not only iniustice but temerite of swearing ends in lamentation In our very ciuill actions it is a weakenesse to doe that which we would after reuerse but in our affaires with God to checke our selues too late and to steepe our oathes in teares is a dangerous folly Hee doth not command vs to take voluntary oathes he commands vs to keepe them If we binde our selues to inconuenience we may iustly complaine of our owne setters Oathes doe not onely require iustice but iudgement wise deliberation no lesse then equity Not conscience of their fact but commiseration of their brethren led them to this publike repentance O God why is this come to passe that this day one Tribe of Israel shall want Euen the iustest reuenge of men is capable of pitty Insultation in the rigour of Iustice argues cruelty Charitable mindes are grieued to see that done which they would not wish vndone the smart of the offender doth not please them which yet are throughly displeased with the sinne and haue giuen their hands to punish it God himselfe takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner yet loues the punishment of sinne As a god parent whips his childe yet weepes himselfe There is a measure in victory and reuenge if neuer so iust which to exceed leeses mercy in the suit of Iustice If there were no fault in their seuerity it needed no excuse and if there were a fault it will admit of no excuse yet as if they meant to shift off the sin they expostulate with God O Lord God of Israel why is this come to passe this day God gaue them no command of this rigour yea he twice crost them in the execution and now in that which they intreated of God with teares they challenge him It is a dangerous iniustice to lay the burden of our sins vpon him which tempteth no man nor can bee tempted with euill whiles we would so remoue our sinne we double it A man that knew not the power of an oath would wonder at this contrarietie in the affections of Israel They are sorry for the slaughter of Beniamin and yet they slay those that did not helpe them in the slaughter Their oath cals them to more bloud The excesse of their reuenge vpon Beniamin may not excuse the men of Gillead If euer oath might looke for a dispensation this might plead it Now they dare not but kill the men of Iabesh Gilead lest they should haue left vpon themselues a greater sin of sparing then punishing Iabesh Gilead came not vp to aid Israel therefore all the inhabitants must die To exempt our selues whether out of singularity or stubbornnesse from the common actions of the Church when we are lawfully called to them is an offence worthy of iudgement In the maine quarrels of the Church neutrals are punished This execution shall make amends for the former of the spoile of Iabesh Gilead shall the Beniaminites be stored with wiues that no
haue cleare hearts from any sinne prosecute it with rigour whereas the guilty are euer partiall their conscience holds their hands and tels them that they beat themselues whiles they punish others Now Ely sees his errour and recants it and to make amends for his rash censure prayes for her Euen the best may erre but not persist in it When good natures haue offended they are vnquiet till they haue hastned satisfaction This was within his office to pray for the distressed Wherefore serues the Priest but to sacrifice for the people and the best sacrifices are the prayers of faith She that beganne her prayers with fasting and heauinesse rises vp from them with cheerefulnesse and repast It cannot bee spoken how much ease and ioy the heart of man findes in hauing vnloaded his cares and powred out his supplications into the eares of God since it is well assured that the suit which is faithfully asked is already granted in heauen The conscience may well rest when it tels vs that we haue neglected no meanes of redressing our affliction for then it may resolue to looke either for amendment or patience The sacrifice is ended and now Elkanah and his family rise vp early to returne vnto Ramah but they dare not set forward till they haue worshipped before the Lord. That iourney cannot hope to prosper that takes not God with it The way to receiue blessings at home is to be deuout at the Temple She that before conceiued faith in her heart now conceiues a sonne in her wombe God will rather worke miracles then faithfull prayers shall returne empty I doe not finde that Peninna asked any sonne of God yet she had store Anna begged hard for this one and could not till now obtaine him They which are dearest to God doe oft-times with great difficulty worke our of those blessings which fall into the mouthes of the carelesse That wise disposer of all things knowes it fit to hold vs short of those fauours which we sue for whether for the triall of our patience or the exercise of our faith or the increase of our importunity or the doubling of our obligation Those children are most like to proue blessings which the parents haue begged of God and which are no lesse the fruit of our supplications then of our body As this childe was the sonne of his mothers prayers and was consecrated to God ere his possibility of being so now himselfe shall know both how he came and whereto he was ordained and lest he should forget it his very name shall teach him both Shee called his name Samuel Hee cannot so much as heare himselfe named but he must needs remember both the extraordinary mercy of God in giuing him to a barren mother and the vow of his mother in restoring him backe to God by her zealous dedication and by both of them learne holinesse and obedience There is no necessity of significant names but we cannot haue too many monitors to put vs in minde of our duty It is wont to be the fathers priuiledge to name his childe but because this was his mothers sonne begotten more by her prayers then the seed of Elkana it was but reason she should haue the chiefe hand both in his name and disposing It bad been indeed the power of Elkanah to haue changed both his name and profession and to abrogate the vow of his wife that wiues might know they were not their owne and that the rib might learne to know the head But husbands shall abuse their authority if they shall wilfully crosse the holy purposes and religious endeuours of their yoke-fellowes How much more fit is it for them to cherish all god desires in the weaker vessels and as we vse when we carry a small light in a winde to hide it with our lap or hand that it may not goe out If the wife be a Vine the husband should be an Elme to vphold her in all worthy enterprises else she fals to the ground and proues fruitlesse The yeare is now come about and Elkanah cals his family to their holy iourney to goe vp to Ierusalem for the anniuersary solemnitie of their sacrifice Annaes heart is with them but she hath a good excuse to stay at home the charge of her Samuel her successe in the Temple keepes her haply from the Temple that her deuotion may be doubled because it was respited God knowes how to dispence with necessities but if we suffer idle and needles occasions to hold vs from the Tabernacle of God our hearts are but hollow to Religion Now at last when the child was weaned from her hand shee goes vp and payes her vow and with it payes the interest of her intermission Neuer did Anna goe vp with so glad an heart to Shilo as now that shee carries God this reasonable Present which himselfe gaue to her now she vowed to him accompanied with the bounty of other sacrifices more in number measure then the Law of God requited of her and all this is too little for her God that so mercifully remembred her affliction and miraculously remedied it Those hearts which are truely thankfull doe no lesse reioyce in their repayment then in their receit and doe as much study how to shew their humble and feruent affections for what they haue as how to compasse fauours when they want them Their debt is their burden which when they haue discharged they are at ease If Anna had repented of her vow and not presented her sonne to the Tabernacle Ely could not haue challenged him He had onely seene her lips stirre not hearing the promise of her heart It was enough that her owne soule knew her vowe and God which was greater then it The obligation of a secret vow is no lesse then if it had ten thousand witnesses Old Ely could not choose but much reioyce to see this fruit of those lips which he thought moued with wine and this good proof both of the merciful audience of God and the thankfull fidelity of his Handmaide this sight calls him down to his knees He worshipped the Lord. Wee are vnprofitable witnesses of the mercies of God and the graces of men if we doe not glorifie him for others sakes no lesse then for our owne Ely and Anna grew now better acquainted neither had he so much cause to praise God for her as shee afterwards for him For if her owne prayers obtained her first child his blessing inriched her with fiue more If she had not giuen her first sonne to God ere she had him I doubt whether shee had not beene euer barren or if she had kept her Samuel at home whether euer shee had conceiued againe now that piety which stripped her of her only childe for the seruice of her God hath multiplyed the fruit of her wombe and gaue her fiue for that one which was still no lesse hers because he was Gods There is no so certaine way of increase as to lend or giue vnto
thankfulnesse vpon his returne There is no mention of their lamenting after the Lord while he was gone but when he was returned and setled in Kiriath-iearim The mercies of God draw more teares from his children then his iudgements doe from his enemies There is no better signe of good nature or grace then to be wonne to repentance with kindnesse Not to thinke of God except we be beaten vnto it is seruile Because God was come againe to Israel therefore Israel is returned to God If God had not come first they had neuer come If hee that came to them had not made them come to him they had beene euer parted They were cloyed with God while he was perpetually resident with them now that his absence had made him dainty they cleaue to him feruently and penitently in his returne This was it that God meant in his departure a better welcome at his comming backe I heard no newes of Samuel all this while the Arke was gone Now when the Arke is returned and placed in Kiriath-iearim I heare him treat with the people It is not like he was silent in this sad desertion of God but now he takes full aduantage of the professed contrition of Israel to deale with them effectually for their perfect conuersion vnto God It is great wisedome in spirituall matters to take occasion by the fore-locke and to strike while the iron is hot We may beat long enough at the doore but till God haue opened it is no going in and when he hath opened it is no delaying to enter The triall of sincerity is the abandoning of our wonted sinnes This Samuel vrgeth If ye be come againe vnto the Lord with all your heart put away the strange gods from among you and Ashtaroth In vaine had it beene to professe repentance whilst they continued in idolatry God will neuer acknowledge any conuert that stayes in a knowne sinne Graces and Vertues are so linckt together that hee which hath one hath all The partiall conuersion of men vnto God is but hatefull hypocrisie How happily effectuall is a word spoken in season Samuels exhortation wrought vpon the hearts of Israel and fetcht water out of their eyes suits and confessions and vowes out of their lips and their false gods out of their hands yet it was not meerly remorse but feare also that moued Israel to this humble submission The Philistims stood ouer them still and threatned them with new assaults the memory of their late slaughter and spoile was yet fresh in their minds sorrow for the euils past and feare of the future fetcht them downe vpon their knees It is not more necessary for men to be cheared with hopes then to bee awed with dangers where God intends the humiliation of his seruants there shal not want meanes of their deiection It was happy for Israel that they had an enemy Is it possible that the Philistims after those deadly plagues which they sustained from the God of Israel should think of inuading Israel those that were so mated with the presence of the Arke that they neuer thought themselues safe till it was out of fight doe they now dare to thrust themselues vpon the new reuenge of the Arke It slue them whiles they thought to honor it and doe they thinke to escape whilst they resist it It slue them in their owne Coasts and do they come to it to seeke death yet behold no sooner do the Philistims heare that the Israelites are gathered to Mizpeh but the Princes of the Philistims gather themselues against them No warnings will serue obdurate hearts wicked men are euen ambitious of destruction Iudgements need not to goe finde them out they runne to meet their bane The Philistims come vp and the Israelites feare they that had not the wit to feare whilst they were not friends with God haue not now the grace of fearlessenesse when they were reconciled to God Boldnesse and Feare are commonly misplaced in the best hearts when we should tremble we are confident and when wee should be assured we tremble Why should Israel haue feared since they had made their peace with the God of Hosts Nothing should affright those which are vpright with God The peace which Israel had made with God was true but tender They durst not trust their owne innocency so much as the prayers of Samuel Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for vs. In temporall things nothing hinders but we may fare better for other mens faith then for our owne It is no small happinesse to be interessed in them which are Fauourites in the Court of Heauen one faithfull man in these occasions is more worth then millions of the wauering and vncertaine A good heart is easily wonne to deuotion Samuel cries and sacrificeth to God he had done so though they had intreated his silence yea his forbearance Whiles he is offering the Philistims fight with Israel and God fights with the Philistims The Lord thundred with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistims and scattered them Samuel fought more vpon his knees then all Israel besides The voyce of God answered the voyce of Samuel and speakes confusion and death to the Philistims How were the proud Philistims dead with feare ere they dyed to heare the fearfull thunder claps of an angry God against them to see that Heauen it selfe fought against them He that slue them secretly in the reuenges of his Arke now kils them with open horror in the fields If presumption did not make wicked men mad they would neuer lift their hand against the Almightie what are they in his hands when he is disposed to vengeance The meeting of SAVL and SAMVEL SAMVEL began his acquaintance with God early and continued it long He began it in his long Coats and continued to his gray hayres He iudged Israel all the dayes of his life God doth not vse to put off his old Seruants their age indeareth them to him the more If wee be not vnfaithfull to him hee cannot be vnconstant to vs. At last his decayed age met with ill partners his Sonnes for Deputies and Saul for a King The wickednesse of his Sonnes gaue the occasion of a change Perhaps Israel had neuer thought of a King if Samuels Sonnes had not beene vnlike their Father Who can promise himselfe holy children when the loynes of a Samuel and the education in the Temple yeelded monsters It is not likely that good Samuel was faulty in that indulgence for which his owne mouth had denounced Gods iudgement against Hely yet this holy man succeds Hely in his crosse as well as his place though not in his sinne and is afflicted with a wicked succession God will let vs find that Grace is by gift not by inheritance I feare Samuel was too partiall to nature in the surrogation of his Sonnes I doe not heare of Gods allowance to this act If this had beene Gods choice as well as his it had beene like to haue receiued more
made to bee seene he ouerlookes all Israel in height of stature for presage of the eminence of his estate from the shoulders vpward was he higher then any of the people Israel sees their lots are falne vpon a noted man one whose person shewed he was borne to be a King and now all the people shout for ioy they haue their longing and applaud their owne happinesse and their Kings honour How easie is it for vs to mistake our owne estates to reioyce in that which we shall find the iust cause of our humiliation The end of a thing is better then the beginning the safest way is to reserue our ioy till wee haue good proofe of the worthinesse and fitnesse of the obiect What are wee the better for hauing a blessing if we know not how to vse it The office and obseruance of a King was vncowth to Israel Samuel therefore informes the people of their mutuall duties and writes them in a booke and layes it vp before the Lord otherwise nouelty might haue beene a warrant for their ignorance and ignorance for neglect There are reciprocall respects of Princes and people which if they be not obserued gouernment languisheth into confusion these Samuel faithfully teacheth them Though he may not be their iudge yet he will be their Prophet he will instruct if he may not rule yea he will instruct him that shall rule There is no King absolute but he that is the King of all gods Earthly Monarchs must walke by a rule which if they transgresse they shall be accountable to him that is higher then the highest who hath deputed them Not out of care of ciuility so much as conscience must euery Samuel labour to keepe eauen termes betwixt Kings and Subiects prescribing iust moderation to the one to the other obedience and loyalty which who euer endeauors to trouble is none of the friends of God or his Church The most and best applaud their new King some wicked ones despised him and said How shall he saue vs It was not the might of his Parents the goodlinesse of his person the priuiledge of his lot the fame of his prophesying the Panegyricke of Samuel that could shield him from contempt or winne him the hearts of all There was neuer yet any man to whom some tooke not exceptions It is not possible either to please or displease all men while some men are in loue with vice as deeply as others with vertue and some as ill dislike vertue if not for it selfe yet for contradiction They well saw Saul chose not himselfe they saw him worthy to haue beene chosen if the Election should haue beene carried by voices and those voyces by their eyes they saw him vnwilling to hold or yeeld when hee was chosen yet they will enuy him What fault could they find in him whom God had chosen His parentage was equall his person aboue them his inward parts more aboue them then the outward Malecontents will rather deuise then want causes of flying out and rather then faile the vniuersall approbation of others is ground enough of their dislike It is a vaine ambition of those that would be loued of all The Spirit of God when he enioynes vs peace with all he addes if it be possible and fauour is more then peace A mans comfort must be in himselfe the conscience of deseruing well The neighbouring Ammonites could not but haue heard of Gods fearfull vengeance vpon the Philistims and yet they will be taking vp the quarrell against Israel Nahash comes vp against Iabesh Gilead Nothing but grace can teach vs to make vse of others iudgements wicked men are not moued with ought that fals beside them they trust nothing but their owne smart What fearfull iudgements doth God execute euery day resolute sinners take no notice of them and are growne so peremptorie as if God had neuer shewed dislike of their wayes The Gileadites were not more base then Nahash the Ammonite was cruell The Gileadites would buy their peace with seruility Nahash would sell them a seruile peace for their right eyes Iephtha the Gileadite did yet sticke in the stomacke of Ammon and now they thinke their reuenge cannot be too bloody It is a wonder that hee which would offer so mercilesse a condition to Israel would yeeld to the motion of any delay Hee meant nothing but shame and death to the Israelites yet hee condescends to a seuen dayes respit Perhaps his confidence made him thus carelesse Howsoeuer it was the restraint of God that gaue this breath to Israel and this opportunity to Sauls courage and victory The enemies of Gods Church cannot bee so malicious as they would cannot approue themselues so malicious as they are God so holds them in sometimes that a stander-by would thinke them fauourable The newes of Gileads distresse had soone filled and afflicted Israel the people thinke of no remedie but their pittie and teares Euils are easily grieued for not easily redressed Onely Saul is more stirred with indignation then sorrow That GOD which put into him a spirit of prophesie now puts into him a spirit of fortitude Hee was before appointed to the Throne not setled in the Throne he followed the beasts in the field when he should haue commanded men Now as one that would be a King no lesse by merit then election he takes vpon him and performes the rescue of Gilead he assembles Israel he leads them he raiseth the siege breakes the troops cuts the throats of the Ammonites When God hath any exploit to performe he raiseth vp the heart of some chosen Instrument with heroicall motions for the atchieuement When all hearts are cold and dead it is a a signe of intended destruction This day hath made Saul a compleat King and now the thankfull Israelites begin to enquire after those discontented Mutiners which had refused allegeance vnto so worthy a Commander Bring those men that we may slay them This sedition had deserued death though Saul had beene foiled at Gilead but now his happy victorie whets the people much more to a desire of this iust execution Saul to whom the iniurie was done hinders the reuenge There shall no man dye this day for to day the Lord hath saued Israel that his fortitude might not goe beyond his mercy How noble were these beginnings of Saul His Prophesie shewed him miraculously wise his Battell and Victory no lesse valiant his pardon of his Rebels as mercifull There was not more power shewed in ouercomming the Ammonites then in ouercomming himselfe and the impotent malice of these mutinous Israelites Now Israel sees they haue a King that can both shed blood and spare it that can shed the Ammonites blood and spare theirs His mercy winnes those hearts whom his valour could not As in God so in his Deputies Mercy and Iustice should be inseparable wheresoeuer these two goe asunder gouernment followes them into distraction and ends in ruine If it had beene a wrong offered to Samuel the
the Arke The voluntary seruices of Hypocrites are many times more painfull then the duties enioyned by God In what awe did all Israel stand of the Oath euen of Saul It was not their owne vow but Sauls for them yet comming into the Wood where they saw the Honey dropping and found the meat as ready as their appetite they dare not touch that sustenance and will rather endure famine and fainting then an indiscreet curse Doubtlesse God had brought those Bees thither on purpose to try the constancy of Israel Israel could not but thinke that which Ionathan said that the vow was vnaduised and iniurious yet they will rather dye then violate it How sacred should wee hold the obligation of our owne vowes in things iust and expedient when the bond of anothers rash vow is thus indissoluble There was a double mischiefe followed vpon Sauls oath an abatement of the victorie and eating with the blood For on the one side the people were so faint that they were more likely to dye then kill they could neither runne nor strike in this emptinesse Neither hands nor feet can doe their office when the stomacke is neglected On the other an vnmeet forbearance causes a rauenous repast Hunger knowes neither choice nor order nor measure The one of these was a wrong to Israel the other was a wrong done by Israel to God Sauls zeale was guilty of both A rash vow is seldome euer free from inconuenience The heart that hath vnnecessarily intangled it selfe drawes mischiefe either vpon it selfe or others Ionathan was ignorant of his fathers adiuration he knew no reason why he should not refresh himselfe in so profitable a seruice with a little taste of Honey vpon his Speare Full well had he deserued this vnsought dainty and now behold his Honey is turned into Gall if it were sweet in the mouth it was bitter in the soule if the eyes of his body were enlightned the light of Gods countenance was clouded by this act After he heard of the oath he pleades iustly against it the losse of so faire an opportunity of reuenge and the trouble of Israel yet neither his reasons against the Oath nor his ignorance of the Oath can excuse him from a sinne of ignorance in violating that which first he knew not and then knew vnreasonable Now Sauls leisure would serue him to aske counsell of God As before Saul would not enquire so now God will not answer Well might Saul haue found sinnes enow of his owne whereto to impute this silence He hath grace enough to know that God was offended and to guesse at the cause of his offence Sooner will an Hypocrite finde out another mans sinne then his owne and now he sweares more rashly to punish with death the breach of that which he had sworne rashly The lots were cast and Saul prayes for the decision Ionathan is taken Euen the prayers of wicked men are sometimes heard although iniustice not in mercy Saul himselfe was punished not a little in the fall of this lot vpon Ionathan Surely Saul sinned more in making this vow then Ionathan in breaking it vnwittingly and now the father smarts for the rashnesse of his double vow by the vniust sentence of death vpon so vvorthy a sonne God had neuer singled out Ionathan by his lot if he had not beene displeased with his act Vowes rashly made may not be rashly broken If the thing we haue vowed be not euill in it selfe or in the effect we cannot violate it without euill Ignorance cannot acquite if it can abate our sinne It is like if Ionathan had heard his fathers adiuration he had not transgressed his absence at the time of that Oath cannot excuse him from displeasure What shall become of those which may know the charge of their heauenly Father and will not which doe know his charge and will not keepe it Affectation of ignorance and willing disobedience is desperate Death was too hard a censure for such an vnknowne offence The cruell piety of Saul will reuenge the braach of his owne charge so as he would be loath God should auenge on himselfe the breach of his diuine command If Ionathan had not found better friends then his father so noble a victory had beene recompenced with death He that saued Israel from the Philistims is saued by Israel from the hand of his Father Saul hath sworne Ionathans death the people contrarily sweare his preseruation his Kingdome was not yet so absolute that hee could runne away with so vnmercifull a Iustice their Oath that sauoured of disobedience preuailed against his Oath that sauoured too strong of cruelty Neither doubt I but Saul was secretly not displeased with this louing resistance So long as his heart was not false to his Oath he could not be sory that Ionathan should liue Contemplations THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE Containing SAVL and AGAG The Reiection of SAVL and the Choice of DAVID DAVID called to the Court. DAVID and GOLIAH IONATHANS loue and SAVLS enuy MICHALS Wile DAVID and ABIMELEC By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR Thomas Edmonds KNIGHT TREASVRER OF HIS MAIESTIES HOVSHOLD AND OF HIS MOST Honourable Priuy Councell RIGHT HONOVRABLE AFter your long and happy acquaintance with other Courts and Kingdomes may it please you to compare with them the estate of old Jsrael You shall find the same hand swaying all Scepters and you shall meet with such a proportion of dispositions and occurrences that you will say men are still the same if their names and faces differ You shall find Enuy and Mutability ancient Courtiers and shall confesse the Vices of men still aliue if themselues die You shall see God still honouring those that honour him and both rescuing Jnnocence and crowning it Jt is not for me to anticipate your deeper and more iudicious Obseruations J am bold to dedicate this piece of my Labour to your Honour in a thankefull acknowledgement of those Noble Respects J haue found from you both in France and at home Jn lieu of all which J can but pray for your happinesse and vow my selfe Your Honours in all humble obseruance IOS HALL Contemplations SAVL and AGAG GOd holds it no derogation from his mercy to beare a quarrell long where hee hates Hee whose anger to the vessels of wrath is euerlasting euen in temporall iudgement reuengeth late The sinnes of his owne children are no sooner done and repented of then forgotten but the malicious sinnes of his enemies sticke fast in an infinite displeasure I remember what Amalek did to Israel how they laid wait for them by the way as they came vp from Aegypt Alas Lord might Amalek say they were our forefathers wee neuer knew their faces no not their names the fact was so farre from our consent that it is almost past the memory of our histories It is not in the power of time to raze out any of the arerages of God we may lay vp wrath for our
how much they were victors then finding the dead corps of Saul and his sonnes they begin their triumphs The head of King Saul is cut off in lieu of Goliahs and now all their Idoll temples ring of their successe Foolish Philistims if they had not beene more beholden to Sauls sins than their gods they had neuer carried away the honour of those Trophees In stead of magnifying the iustice of the true God who punished Saul with deserued death they magnifie the power of the false Superstition is extremely iniurious to God It is no better than Theft to ascribe vnto the second causes that honor which is due vnto the first but to giue Gods glory to those things which neither act nor are it is the highest degree of spirituall robbery Saul was none of the best Kings yet so impatient are his subiects of the indignity offred to his dead corps that they will rather leaue their owne bones amongst the Philistims than the carcasse of Saul Such a close relation there is betwixt a Prince and Subiect that the dishonour of either is inseparable from both How willing should wee bee to hazard our bodies or substance for the vindication either of the person or name of a good King whiles hee liues to the benefit of our protection It is an vniust ingratitude in those men which can endure the disgrace of them vnder whose shelter they liue but how vnnaturall is the villany of those Miscreants that can bee content to bee actors in the capitall wrongs offered to soueraigne authoritie It were a wonder if after the death of a Prince there should want some Picke-thanke to insinuate himselfe into his Successor An Amalekite young man rides post to Ziklag to finde out Dauid whom euen common rumour â—ad notified for the annointed Heire to the Kingdome of Israel to bee the first Messenger of that newes which he thought could be no other than acceptable the death of Saul and that the tidings might be so much more meritorious hee addes to the report what hee thinkes might carrie the greatest retribution In hope of reward or honour the man is content to bely himselfe to Dauid It was not the Speare but the Sword of Saul that was the instrument of his death neither could this stranger finde Saul but dying since the Armour bearer of Saul saw him dead ere hee offered that violence to himselfe The hand of this Amalekite therefore was not guilty his tongue was Had not this Messenger measured Dauids foote by his owne Last hee had forborne this peece of the newes and not hoped to aduantage himselfe by this falshood Now he thinkes The tidings of a Kingdome cannot but please None but Saul and Ionathan stood in Dauids way Hee cannot chuse but like to heare of their remouall Especially since Saul did so tyrannously persecute his innocence If I shall onely report the fact done by another I shall goe away but with the recompence of a â—â—ckie Post whereas if I take vpon mee the action I am the man to whome Dauid is beholden for the Kingdome hee cannot but honour and require mee as the Authour of his deliuerance and happinesse Worldly mindes thinke no man can be of any other than their owne dyet and because they finde the respects of selfe-loue and priuate profit so strongly preuailing with themselues they cannot conceiue how these should be capable of a repulse from others How much was this Amalekite mocked of his hopes whiles he imagined that Dauid would now triumph and feast in the assured expectation of the Kingdome and Possession of the Crowne of Israel he findes him renting his clothes and wringing his handes and weeping and mourning as if all his comfort had bin dead with Saul and Ionathan and yet perhaps hee thought This sorrow of Dauid is but fashionable such as greate heires make shew of in the fatall day they haue longed for These teares will soone be dry the sight of a Crowne will soone breed a succession of other passions But this errour is soone corrected For when Dauid had entertayned this Bearer with a sadfast all the day hee cals him forth in the euening to execution How wast thou not afraid saith he to put forth thy hand to destroy the Annoynted of the Lord Doubtlesse the Amalekite made many faire pleas for himselfe out of the grounds of his owne report Alas Saul was before falne vpon his owne Speare It was but mercie to kill him that was halfe dead that hee might die the shorter Besides his entreaty and importunate prayers mooued mee to hasten him through those painefull gates of death had I striken him as an enemy I had deserued the blow I had giuen now I lent him the hand of a friend why am I punished for obeying the voyce of a King and for perfiting what himselfe begun and could not finish And if neither his owne wound nor mine had dispatched him the Philistims were at his heeles ready to doe this same act with insultation which I did in fauour and if my hand had not preuented them where had beene the Crowne of Israel which I now haue here presented to thee I could haue deliuered that to King Achish and haue beene rewarded with honour let me not dye for an act well meant to thee how euer construed by thee But no pretence can make his owne tale not deadly Thy bloud be vpon thine owne head for thine owne mouth hath testified aganst thee saying I haue slaine the Lords Annoynted It is a iust supposition that euery man is so great a Fauourer of himselfe that hee will not mis-report his owne actions nor say the worst of himselfe In matter of confession men may without iniury be taken at their words If hee did it his fact was capitall If hee did it not his lye It is pitty any other recompence should befall those false Flatterers that can be content to father a sinne to get thankes Euery drop of royall bloud is sacred For a man to say that hee hath shed it is mortall Of how farre different spirits from this of Dauid are those men which suborne the death of Princes and celebrate and canonize the Mutherers Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be thou not ioyned to their Assembly ABNER and IOAB HOw mercifull and seasonable are the prouisions of God Zildag was now nothing but ruines and ashes Dauid might returne to the soile where it stood to the roofes and wals he could not No sooner is he disappointed of that harbour than God prouides him Cities of Hebron Saul shall die to giue him elbow-roome Now doth Dauid finde the comfort that his extremity sought in the Lord his God Now are his clouds for a time passed ouer and the Sunne breakes gloriously forth Dauid shall reigne after his sufferings So shall we if we endure to the end finde a Crowne of Righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vs at that day But though Dauid well knew
is peace euer our friend but when it is a seruant of Piety The vse of Warre is not more pernicious to the body than the abuse of peace is to the soule Alas the Riot bred of our long ease rather driues the Arke of God from vs so the still sedentary life is subiect to diseases and standing waters putrifie It may be iust with God to take away the blessing which we doe so much abuse and to scoure off our rust with bloudy Warre c. The Arke of God had now many yeeres rested in the obscure lodge of Abinadab without the honour of a Tabernacle Dauid will not endure himselfe glorious and the Arke of God contemptible his first care is to prouide a fit roome for God in the head of the Tribes in his owne City The chiefe care of good Princes must be the aduancement of Religion What should the Deputies of God rather doe than honour him whom they represent It was no good that Israel could learne of Philistims Those Pagans had sent the Arke backe in a new Cart the Israelites saw God blessed that conduct and now they practise it at home But that which God will take from Philistims hee will not brooke from Israel Aliens from God are no fit patterns for children Diuine institution had made this a cariage for the Leuites not for oxen Neither should those sonnes of Abinadab haue driuen the Cart but carried that sacred burden Gods businesses must be done after his owne formes which if we doe with the best intentions alter we presume It is long since Israel saw so faire a day as this wherein they went in this holy Triumph to fetch the Arke of God Now their Warlike Trumpets are turned into Harps and Timbrils and their hands in stead of weilding the Sword and Speare strike vpon those musicall strings whereby they might expresse the ioy of their hearts Heere was no noise but of mirth no motion but pleasant Oh happy Israel that had a God to reioyce in that had this occasion of reioycing in their God and an heart that embraced this occasion There is nothing but this wherein wee may not ioy immoderately vnseasonably this spirituall ioy can neuer bee either out of time or out of measure Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord. But now when the Israelites were in the midst of this Angel-like iollitie their hearts lifted vp their hands playing their feet mouing their tongues singing and shouting God sees good to strike them into a sudden dumpe by the death of Vzzah They are scarce set into the tune when God marres their Musicke by a fearefull iudgement and changes their mirth into astonishment and confusion There could not bee a more excellent worke than this they were about there could not bee more chearefull hearts in the performing of it yet will the most holy God rather dash all this solemne seruice than indure an act of presumption or infidelity Abinadab had beene the faithfull Host of Gods Arke for the space of twenty yeeres euen in the midst of the terrors of Irael who were iustly affrighted with the vengeance inflicted vpon Beth-shemesh did hee giue harbour vnto it Yet euen the sonne of Abinadab is stricken dead in the first departing of that blessed guest The Sanctitie of the Parent cannot beare out the sinne of his Sonne The Holy one of Israel will bee sanctified in all that come neere him He will be serued like himselfe WHAT then was the sinne of Vzzah What was the capitall crime for which hee so fearefully perished That the Arke of God was committed to the Cart it was not his deuice onely but the common act of many That it was not carryed on the shoulders of Leuites was no lesse the fault of Ahio and the rest of their Brethren onely Vzzah is stricken The rest sinned in negligence hee in presumption the Arke of God shakes with the agitation of that carriage hee puts forth his hand to hold it steddie Humane iudgement would haue found herein nothing haynous God sees not with the eyes of men None but the Priests should haue dared to touch the Arke It was enough for the Leuites to touch the barres that carryed it An vnwarranted hand cannot so lightly touch the Arke but hee strikes the God that dwels in it No maruell if God strike that man with death that strikes him with Presumption There was wel-neere the same quarrell against the thousands of Bethshemesh and against Vzzah They died for looking into the Arke hee for touching it lest Israel should grow into a contemptuous familiarity with this Testimony of Gods presence hee will hold them in awe with iudgements The reuenging hand of the Almighty that vpon the returne of the Arke stayed at the House of Abinadab vpon the remooue of the Arke beginnes there againe Where are those that thinke God will take vp with a carelesse and slubbred seruice Hee whose infinite mercy vses to passe by our sinnes of infirmitie punisheth yet seuerely our bold faults If we cannot doe any thing in the degrees that hee requireth yet wee must learne to doe all things in the forme that he requireth Doubtlesse Vzzah meant no otherwise than well in putting forth his hand to stay the Arke Hee knew the sacred Vtensils that were in it the Pot of Manna the Tables of the Law the Rod of Aaron which might bee wronged by that ouer-rough motion to these hee offers his aide and is stricken dead The best intention cannot excuse much lesse warrant vs in vnlawfull actions where wee doe ought in faith it pleaseth our good God to winke at and pitty our weaknesses but if wee dare to present God with the wel-meant seruices of our owne making wee runne into the indignation of God There is nothing more dangerous than to be our owne caruers in matter of Deuotion I maruell not if the countenance of Dauid were suddenly changed to see the pale face of death in one of the chiefe Actors in this holy Procession Hee that had found God so fauourable to him in actions of lesse worth is troubled to see this successe of a businesse so heartily directed vnto his God and now hee beginnes to looke thorow Vzzah at himselfe and to say How shall the Arke of the Lord come to mee Then onely shall wee make a right vse of the iudgements of God vpon others when wee shall feare them in our selues and finding our sinnes at least equall shall tremble at the expectation of the same deserued punishments God intends not onely reuenge in his execution but reformation As good Princes regard not so much the smart of the euill past as the preuention of the future which is neuer attained but when wee make applications of Gods hand and draw common causes out of Gods particular proceedings I doe not heare Dauid say Surely this man is guilty of some secret sinne that the World knowes not God hath met with him thereis no danger to vs why should I be discouraged to
no leisure to sinne The idle hath neither leisure nor power to auoide sinne Exercise is not more wholsome for the bodie than for the Soule the remission whereof breeds matter of disease in bothe The water that hath beene heated soonest freezeth the most actilie spirit soonest tyreth with slackning The Earth stande still and is all dregges the Heauens euer moue and are pure We haue no reason to complaine of the assiduitie of worke the toyle of action is answered by the benefit If wee did lesse we should suffer more Satan like an idle companion if hee finde vs busie flyes backe and sees it no time to entertayne vaine purposes with vs We cannot please him better than by casting away our worke to hold that with him wee cannot yeeld so farre and be guiltlesse Euen Dauids eyes haue no sooner the sleepe rubbed â—ut of them than they roue to wanton prospects Hee walkes vpon his roofe and sees Bathsheba washing her selfe inquires after her sends for her sollicits her to vncleanenesse The same spirit that shut vp his eyes in on vnseasonable sleepe opens them vpon an intising obiect whiles sinne hath such a Solliciter it cannot want either meanes or opportunitie I cannot thinke Bathsheba could bee so immodest as to wash her selfe openly especially from her naturall vncleannesse Lust is quick-sighted Dauid hath espied her where shee could espye no beholder His eyes recoyle vpon his heart and haue smitten him with sinfull desire There can be no safetie to that Soule where the senses are let loose Hee can neuer keepe his couenant with God that makes not a couenant with his eyes It is an idle presumption to thinke the outward man may bee free whiles the inward is safe He is more than a man whose heart is not led by his eyes hee is no regenerate man whose eyes are not restrained by his heart Oh Bathsheba how wert thou washed from thine vncleannesse when thou yeeldedst to goe into an adulterous bed neuer wert thou so foule as now when thou wert new washed The worst of Nature is cleanlinesse to the best of sinne thou hadst beene cleane if thou hadst not washed yet for thee I know how to plead infirmitie of sexe and the importunitie of a King But what shall I say for thee O thou royall Prophet and Propheticall King of Israel where shall I finde ought to extenuate that crime for which God himselfe hath noted thee Did not thine holy Profession teach thee to abhorre such a sinne more than death Was not thy Iustice woont to punish this sinne with no lesse than death Did not thy very calling call thee to a protection and preseruation of Iustice of Chastitie in thy subiects Didst thou want store of Wiues of thine owne wert thou restrayned from taking more Was there no beautie in Israel but in a Subiects Marriage-bed Wert thou ouercome by the vehement sollicitations of an Adulteresse Wert thou not the Tempter the Prosecutor of this vncleanenesse I should accuse thee deeply if thou hadst not accused thy selfe Nothing wanted to greaten thy sinne or our wonder and feare O God whither doe wee goe if thou stay vs not Who euer amongst the millions of thy Seruants could finde himselfe furnished with stronger preseruatiues against sinne Against whom could such a sinne finde lesse pretence of preuayling Oh keepe thou vs that presumptuous sinnes preuayle not ouer vs So only shall wee bee free from great offences The Suites of Kings are Imperatiue Ambition did now proue a Bawd to Lust Bathsheba yeeldeth to offend God to dishonour her Husband to clog and wound her owne Soule to abuse her bodie Dishonestie growes bold when it is countenanced with greatnesse Eminent persons had need be carefull of their demaunds they sinne by authoritie that are solicited by the mightie Had Bathsheba beene mindfull of her Matrimoniall fidelitie perhaps Dauid had beene soone checked in his inordinate desire her facilitie furthers the sinne The first motioner of euill is most faultie but as in quarrels so in offences the second blow which is the consent makes the fray Good Ioseph was moued to folly by his great and beautifull Mistris this fire fell vpon wet Tinder and therefore soone went out Sinne is not acted alone if but one partie be wise both escape It is no excuse to say I was tempted though by the great though by the holy and learned Almost all sinners are misse-led by that transformed Angell of light The action is that wee must regard not the person Let the mouer bee neuer so glorious if he stirre vs to euill he must be entertained with defiance The God that knowes how to rayse good out of euill blesses an adulterous copulation with that increase which he denyes to the chast imbracements of honest Wedlocke Bathsheba hath conceiued by Dauid and now at once conceiues a sorrow and care how to smother the shame of her Conception He that did the fact must hide it Oh Dauid where is thy Repentance Where is thy tendernesse and compunction of heart Where are those holy Meditations which had woont to take vp thy Soule Alas in steed of clearing thy sinne thou labourest to cloke it and spendest those thoughts in the concealing of thy wickednesse which thou shouldest rather haue bestowed in preuenting it The best of Gods Children may not onely bee drenched in the waues of sinne but lye in them for the time and perhaps sinke twice to the bottome what Hypocrite could haue done worse than studie how to couer the face of his sinne from the eyes of men whiles hee regarded not the sting of sinne in his Soule As there are some Acts wherein the Hypocrite is a Saint so there are some wherein the greatest Saint vpon Earth may bee an Hypocrite Saul did thus goe about to colour his sinne and is cursed The Vessels of Mercie and Wrath are not euer distinguishable by their actions Hee makes the difference that will haue mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth It is rare and hard to commit a single sinne Dauid hath abused the Wife of Vriah now hee would abuse his person in causing him to father a false seede That worthy Hittite is sent for from the Wars and now after some cunning and farre fetcht Questions is dismissed to his house not without a present of fauour Dauid could not but imagine that the beautie of his Bathsheba must needs bee attractiue enough to an Husband whom long absence in Warres had with-held all that while from so pleasing a Bed neyther could hee thinke that since that face and those brests had power to allure himselfe to an vnlawfull lust it could be possible that Vriah should not bee inuited by them to an allowed and warrantable fruition That Dauids heart might now the rather strike him in comparing the chaste resolutions of his Seruant with his owne light incontinence good Vriah sleepes at the doore of the Kings Palace making choice of a stonie Pillow vnder the Canopie of Heauen rather
cannot haue the heart or the face to stand out against the message of God but now as a man confounded and condemned in himselfe he cryes out in the bitternesse of a wounded Soule I haue sinned against the Lord. It was a short word but passionate and such as came from the bottome of a contrite heart The greatest griefes are not most verball Saul confessed his sinne more largely lesse effectually God cares not for phrases but for affections The first piece of our amends to God for sinning is the acknowledgement of sinne He can doe little that in a iust offence cannot accuse himselfe If wee cannot bee so good as we would it is reason wee should doe God so much right as to say how euill we are And why was not this done sooner It is strange to see how easily sin gets into the heart how hardly it gets out of the mouth Is it because sinne like vnto Satan where it hath got possession is desirous to hold it and knowes that it is fully eiected by a free confession or because in a guiltinesse of deformitie it hides it selfe in the brest where it is once entertayned and hates the light or because the tongue is so fee'd with selfe-loue that it is loath to be drawne vnto any verdict against the heart or hands or is it out of an idle misprision of shame which whiles it should be placed in offending is misplaced in disclosing of our offence Howeuer sure I am that God hath need euen of rackes to draw out confessions and scarce in death it selfe are we wrought to a discouery of our errors There is no one thing wherein our folly shewes it selfe more than in these hurtfull concealements Contrary to the proceedings of humane Iustice it is with God Confesse and liue no sooner can Dauid say I haue sinned than Nathan inferres The Lord also hath put away thy sinne He that hides his sins shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie Who would not accuse himselfe to bee aquittted of God O God who would not tell his wickednesse to thee that knowest it better than his owne heart that his heart may be eased of that wicednesse which being not told killeth Since we haue sinned why should wee bee niggardly of that action wherein we may at once giue glory to thee and reliefe to our soules Dauid had sworne in a zeale of Iustice that the rich Oppressor for but taking his poore Neighbours Lambe should dye the death God by Nathan is more fauourable to Dauid than to take him at his word Thou shalt not dye O the maruellous power of repentance Besides adultery Dauid had shed the bloud of innocent Vriah The strict Law was Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth Hee that smiteth with the Sword shall perish with the Sword Yet as if a penitent confession had dispensed with the rigour of Iustice now God sayes Thou shalt not dye Dauid was the voyce of the Law awarding death vnto sinne Nathan was the voyce of the Gospell awarding life vnto the repentance for sinne Whatsoeuer the sore be neuer any soule applyed this remedie and dyed neuer any soule escaped death that applyed it not Dauid himselfe shall not dye for this fact but his mis-begotten childe shall dye for him Hee that said The Lord hath put away thy sinne yet said also The Sword shall not depart from thine house The same mouth with one breath pronounces the sentence both of absolution and death Absolution to the Person Death to the Issue Pardon may well stand with temporall afflictions Where God hath forgiuen though hee doth not punish yet he may chastize and that vnto bloud neither doth hee alwayes forbeare correction where hee remits reuenge So long as hee smites vs not as an angry Iudge wee may indure to smart from him as a louing Father Yet euen this Rod did Dauid deprecate with teares How faine would hee shake off so easie a lode The Childe is striken the Father fasts and prayes and weepes and lyes all night vpon the Earth and abhorres the noyse of comfort That Childe which was the fruit and monument of his odious adultery whom hee could neuer haue looked vpon without recognition of his sinne in whose face hee could not but haue still read the records of his owne shame is thus mourned for thus sued for It is easie to obserue that good man ouer-passionately affected to his Children Who would not haue thought that Dauid might haue held himselfe well appayd that his soule escaped an eternall death his bodie a violent though God should punish his sinne in that Childe in whome hee sinned Yet euen against this crosse he bends his Prayers as if nothing had beene forgiuen him There is no Childe that would be scourged if hee might escape for crying No affliction is for for the time other than grieuous neither is therefore yeelded vnto without some kinde of reluctation Farre yet was it from the heart of Dauid to make any opposition to the will of God hee sued he struggled not There is no impatience in entreaties Hee well knew that the threats of temporall euils ranne commonly with a secret condition and therefore might perhaps bee auoyded by humble importunitie if any meanes vnder Heauen can auert iudgments it is our Prayers God could not chuse but like well the boldnesse of Dauids saith who after the apprehension of so heauie a displeasure is so far from doubting of the forgiuenesse of his sinne that hee dares become a Sutor vnto God for his sicke child Sinne doth not make vs more strange than Faith confident But it is not in the power of the strongest Faith to preserue vs from all afflictions After all Dauids prayers and teares the Childe must dye The carefull seruants dare but whisper this sad newes They who had found their Master so auerse from the motion of comfort in the sicknesse of the Childe feared him vncapable of comfort in his death Suspition is quick-witted Euery occasion makes vs misdoubt that euent which wee feare This secrecie proclaymes that which they were so loath to vtter Dauid perceiues his Childe dead and now hee rises vp from the Earth whereon hee lay and washes himselfe and changeth his apparell and goes first into Gods House to worship and into his owne to eate now hee refuses no comfort who before would take none The issue of things doth more fully shew the will of God than the prediction God neuer did any thing but what hee would hee hath sometimes foretold that for tryall which his secret will intended not hee would foretell it hee would not effect it because hee would therefore fore-tell it that hee might not effect it His predictions of outward euils are not alwayes absolute his actions are Dauid well sees by the euent what the Decree of God was concerning his Childe which now hee could not striue against without a vaine impatience Till wee know the determinations of the Almightie it is free
for so painfull a worke in the stable of Bethleem yet he that made and gaue the Law will rather keepe it with difficulty than transgresse it with ease Why wouldest thou O blessed Sauiour suffer that sacred foreskin to bee cut off but that by the power of thy circumcision the same might be done to our soules that was done to thy body we cannot bee therefore thine if our hearts bee vncircumcised Doe thou that in vs which was done to thee for vs cut off the superfluitie of our maliciousnesse that we may be holy in and by thee which for vs wert content to be legally impure There was shame in thy birth there was paine in thy circumcision After a contemptible welcome into the world that a sharp rasor should passe thorow thy skin for our sakes which can hardly endure to bleed for our owne it was the praise of thy wonderfull mercy in so early humiliation What paine or contempt should we refuse for thee that hast made no spare of thy selfe for vs Now is Bethleem left with too much honour there is Christ borne adored circumcised No sooner is the blessed virgin either able or allowed to walke than shee trauels to Ierusalem to performe her holy Rites for her selfe for her Sonne to purifie her-selfe to present her Sonne She goes not to her owne house at Nazareth shee goes to Gods House at Ierusalem If purifying were a shadow yet thanksgiuing is a substance Those whom God hath blessed with fruit of body and safety of deliuerance if they make not their first iourney to the Temple of God they partake more of the vnthankfulnesse of Eue than Maries deuotion Her forty daies therefore were no sooner out than Mary comes vp to the holy City The rumor of a new King borne at Bethleem was yet fresh at Ierusalem since the report of the wise-men and what good newes had this beene for any picke-thanke to carry to the Court Here is the Babe whom the Starre signified whom the Sages inquired for whom the Angells proclaimed whom the Shepherds talkt of whom the Scribes and high Priests notified whom Herod seekes after Yet vnto that Ierusalem which was troubled at the report of his Birth is Christ come and all tongues are so lockt vp that he which sent from Ierusalem to Bethleem to seeke him findes him not who as to countermine Herod is come from Bethleem to Ierusalem Dangers that are aloofe of and but possible may not hinder vs from the duty of our deuotion God saw it not yet time to let loose the fury of his aduersaries whom hee holds vp like some eager mastiues and then onely lets goe when they shall most shame themselues and glorifie him Well might the blessed Virgin haue wrangled with the Law and challenged an immunity from all ceremonies of purification what should I neede purging which did not conceiue in sinne This is for those mothers whose births are vncleane mine is from God which is purity it selfe The law of Moses reaches onely to those women which haue conceiued seed I conceiued not this seed but the Holy Ghost in me The law extends to the mothers of those sons which are vnder the law mine is aboue it But as one that cared more for her peace than her priuilege and more desired to be free from offence than from labour and charge she dutifully fulfils the Law of that God whom she carried in her wombe and in her armes Like the mother of him who though he knew the children of the Kingdome free yet would pay tribute vnto Caesar Like the Mother of him whom it behoued to fulfill all righteousnesse And if she were so officious in ceremonies as not to admit of any excuse in the very circumstance of her obedience how much more strict was she in the maine duties of moralitie That soule is fit for the Spirituall conception of Christ that is conscionably scrupulous in obseruing all Gods Commandements whereas hee hates all alliance to a negligent or froward heart The law of Purification proclaimes our vncleannesse The Mother is not allowed after her child-birth to come vnto the Sanctuary or to touch any hallowed thing till her set time be expired What are we whose very birth infects the mother that beares vs At last she comes to the Temple but with sacrifices either a Lambe and a Pigeon or Turtle or in the meaner estate two Turtle doues or young Pigeons Whereof one is for a burnt offring the other for a sin-offring The one for thanksgiuing the other for expiation For expiation of a double sinne of the mother that conceiued of the childe that was conceiued We are all borne sinners and it is a iust question whether we doe more infect the world or the world vs They are grosse flatterers of nature that tell her she is cleane If our liues had no sinne we bring enough with vs the very infant that liues not to sinne as Adam yet he sinned in Adam and is sinfull in himselfe But oh the vnspeakeable mercy of our God! we prouide the sinne he prouides the remedy Behold an expiation wel-neare as early as our sinne the bloud of a young lambe or doue yea rather the bloud of Him whose innocence was represented by both clenseth vs presently from our filthinesse First went circumcision then came the sacrifice that by two holy acts that which was naturally vnholy might be hallowed vnto God Vnder the Gospell our Baptisme hath the force of both It does away our corruption by the water of the Spirit It applies to vs the sacrifice of Christs bloud whereby wee are cleansed Oh that we could magnifie this goodnesse of our God which hath not left our very infancy without redresse but hath prouided such helps as whereby wee may be deliuered from the danger of our hereditary euills Such is the fauourable respect of our wise God that hee would not haue vs vndoe our selues with deuotion the seruice be requires of vs is ruled by our abilities Euery poore mother was not able to bring a lambe for her offring there was none so poore but might procure a paire of turtles or pigeons These doth God both prescribe and accept from poorer hands no lesse than the beasts of a thousand mountaines He lookes for somewhat of euery one not of euery one alike Since it is hee that makes differences of abilities to whom it were as easie to make all rich his mercy will make no difference in the acceptation The truth and heartinesse of obedience is that which he will crowne in his meanest seruants A mite from the poore widdow is more worth to him than the talents of the wealthy After all the presents of those Easterne worshippers who intended rather homage than ditation the blessed Virgin comes in the forme of pouerty with her two doues vnto God she could not without some charge lie all this while at Bethleem she could not without charge trauell from Bethleem to Ierusalem Her offring confesseth her penury The best
Ruler intreated him for his sonne I Come downe ere hee dye our Sauiour sâ—ird not a foote The Centurion did but complaine of the sicknesse of his Seruant and Christ vnasked sayes I will come and heale him That hee might bee farre from so much as seeming to honour wealth and dispise meanesse he that came in the shape of a Seruant would goe downe to the sicke Seruants pallet would not goe to the Bed of the rich Rulers Sonne It is the basest motiue of respect that ariseth meerely from outward greatnesse Either more grace or more need may iustly challenge our fauourable regards no lesse than priuate Obligations Euen so O Sauiour that which thou offenedst to doe for the Centurions Seruant hast thou done for vs Wee were sicke vnto death So farre had the dead palsie of sinne ouer-taken vs that there was no life of grace left in vs When thou wert not content to sit still in heauen and say I will cure them but addedst also I will come and cure them Thy selfe came downe accordingly to this miserable World and hast personally healed vs So as now wee shall not dye but liue and declare thy workes O Lord And oh that wee could enough prayse that loue and mercie which hath so graciously abased thee and could be but so low deiected before thee as thou hast stooped low vnto vs that wee could be but as lowly subiects of thy goodnesse as we are vnworthy Oh admirable returne of Humilitie Christ will goe downe to visit the sicke Seruant the Master of that Seruant sayes Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe The Iewish Elders that went before to mediate for him could say Hee is worthy that thou shouldest doe this for him but the Centurion when hee comes to speake for himselfe I am not worthy They said Hee was worthy of Christs miracle Hee sayes hee is vnworthy of Christs presence There is great difference betwixt others valuations and our owne Sometimes the world vnder-rates him that findes reason to set an high price vpon himselfe Sometimes againe it ouer values a man that knowes iust cause of his owne humiliation If others mistake vs this can bee no warrant for our errour We cannot bee wise vnlesse we receiue the knowledge of our selues by direct beames not by reflection vnlesse we haue learned to contemne vniust applauses and scorning the flatterie of the World to frowne vpon our owne vilenesse Lord I am not worthy Many a one if he had bin in the Centurions coate would haue thought well of it A Captaine a man of good abilitie and command a founder of a Synagogue a Patron of Religion yet hee ouer-lookes all these and when hee casts his eye vpon the diuine worth of Christ and his owne weaknesse hee sayes I am not worthy Alas Lord I am a Gentile an Alien a man of bloud thou art holy thou art omnipotent True Humilitie will teach vs to finde out the best of another and the worst piece of our selues Pride contrarily shewes vs nothing but matter of admiration in our selues in others of contempt Whiles hee confest himselfe vnworthy of any fauour hee approued himselfe worthy of all Had not Christ beene before in his heart he could not haue thought himselfe vnworthy to entertayne that Guest within his house Vnder the low roofe of an humble brest doth God euer delight to dwell The state of his Palace may not be measured by the height but by the depth Brags and boldfaces doe oft-times carry it away with men nothing preuayles with God but our voluntary deiections It is fit the foundations should be layd deepe where the building is high The Centurions Humilitie was not more low than his faith was lofty that reaches vp into Heauen and in the face of humane weaknesse descryes Omnipotence Onely say the word and my Seruant shall be whole Had the Centurions roofe beene Heauen it selfe it could not haue beene worthy to bee come vnder of him whose Word was Almighty and who was the Almightie Word of his Father Such is Christ confessed by him that sayes Only say the worde none but a diuine Power is vnlimited neither hath Faith any other bounds than God himselfe There needs no footing to remoue Mountaynes or Deuils but a word doe but say the word O Sauiour my sinne shall bee remitted my soule shall bee healed my body shall be raysed from dust both soule and body shall be glorious Whereupon then was the steddie confidence of the good Centurion â—ee saw how powerfull his owne word was with those that were vnder his command though himselfe were vnder the command of another the force whereof extended euen to absent performances well therefore might he argue that a free and vnbounded power might giue infallible commands and that the most obstinate Disease must therefore needs yeeld to the becke of the God of nature weaknesse may shew vs what is in strength By one drop of water wee may see what is in the mayne Ocean I maruell not if the Centurion were kind to his Seruants for they were dutifull to him hee can but say Doe this and it is done these mutuall respects draw on each other cheerefull and diligent seruice in the one cals for a due and fauourable care in the other they that neglect to please cannot complaine to be neglected Oh that I could bee but such a Seruant to mine heauenly Master Alas euery of his commands sayes Doe this and I doe it not Euery of his inhibitions sayes Doe it not and I doe it Hee sayes goe from the World I runne to it hee sayes Come to mee I runne from him Woe is mee this is not seruice but enmity How can I looke for fauour whiles I returne rebellion It is a gracious Master whom wee serue there can be no duty of ours that hee sees not that hee acknowledges not that hee crownes not wee could not but bee happy if wee could bee officious What can be more maruellous than to see Christ maruell All maruelling supposes an ignorance going before and aâ—knowledge following some accident vnexpected now who wrought this Faith in the Centurion but hee that wondred at it He knew well what hee wroughâ— because he wrought what he would yet he wondred at what he both wrought and knew to teach vs much more to admire that which hâ—e at once knowes and holds admirable He wrought this faith as God hee wondred at it as man God wrought and man admired hee that was both did both to teach vs where to bestow our wonder I neuer finde Christ wondring at Gold or Siluer at the costly and curious workes of humane skill or industry Yea when the Disciples wondred at the magnificence of the Temple he rebuked them rather I finde him not wondring at the frame of Heauen and Earth nor at the orderly disposition of all creatures and euents the familiaritie of these things intercepts the admiration But when hee sees the grace or acts of faith hee
the rest had ingaged it selfe in Shebaes sedition yet how â—ealously doth Ioab remoue from himselfe the suspition of an intended vastation How fearfull shall their answer be who vpon the quarrell of their owne ambition haue not spared to waste whole Tribes of the Israel of God It was not the fashion of Dauids Captaines to assault any City ere they summond it here they did There bee some things that in the very â—act carie their owne conuiction So did Abel in the entertaining and abetting a knowne conspirator Ioab challenges them for the offence and requires no other satisfaction then the head of Sheba This Matron had not deserued the name of Wise and faithfull in Israel if she had not both apprehended the iustice of the condition and commended it to her Citizens whom she hath easily perswaded to spare their owne heads in not sparing a Traitors It had been pitie those wals should haue stood if they had beene to hye to throw a Traitors head ouer Spiritually the case is ours Euery mans brest is as a City inclosed Euery sinne is a Traitor that lurkes within those wals God cals to vs for Shebaes head neither hath he any quarrell to our person but for our sinne If wee loue the head of our Traitor aboue the life of our soule wee shall iustly perish in the vengeance we cannot be more willing to part with our sinne then our mercifull God is to withdraw his iudgements Now is Ioab returned with successe and hopes by Shebaes head to pay the price of Amasaes blood Dauid hates the murder entertaines the man defers the reuenge Ioab had made himselfe so great so necessary that Dauid may neither misse nor punish him Policy led the King to conniue at that which his heart abhorred I dare not commend that wisedome which holds the hands of Princes from doing iustice Great men haue euer held it a point of worldly state not alwayes to pay vvhere they haue been conscious to a debt of either fauour or punishment but to make Time their seruant for both Salomon shall once defray the arerages of his father In the meane time Ioab commands and prospers and Dauid is faine to smile on that face whereon he hath in his secret destination written the characters of Death The Gibeonites reuenged THE raigne of Dauid was most troublesome towards the shutting vp wherein both warre and famine conspire to afflict him Almost forty yeares had he sate in the throne of Israel with competency if not abundance of all things now at last are his people visited with a long death we are not at first sensible of common euils Three yeares drought and scarcitie are gone ouer ere Dauid consults with God concerning the occasion of the iudgement now he found it high time to seeke the face of the Lord The continuance of an affliction sends vs to God and cals vpon vs to aske for a reckoning Whereas like men strucken in their sleepe a sudden blow cannot make vs to finde our selues but rather astonisheth then teacheth vs. Dauid was himselfe a Prophet of God yet had not the Lord all this while acquainted him with the grounds of his proceedings against Israel this secret was hid from him till hee consulted with the Vrim Ordinarie meanes shall reueale that to him which no vision had descryed And if God will haue Prophets to haue recourse vnto the Priests for the notice of his will how much more must the people Euen those that are the inwardest with God must haue vse of the Ephod Iustly is it presupposed by Dauid that there was neuer iudgement from God where hath not been a prouocation from men therefore when he sees the plague he inquires for the sinne Neuer man smarted causelessely from the hand of diuine iustice Oh that when we suffer we could aske what wee haue done and could guide our repentance to the root of our euils That God whose counsels are secret euen where his actions are open will not bee close to his Prophet to his Priest without inquirie we shall know nothing vpon inquirie nothing shall be concealed from vs that is fit for vs to know Who can choose but wonder at once both at Dauids slacknesse in consulting with God and Gods speed in answering so slow a demand He that so well knew the way to Gods Oracle suffers Israel to be three yeares pinched with famine ere hee askes why they suffer Euen the best hearts may be ouertaken with dulnesse in holy dâ—ties But oh the maruellous mercy of God that takes not the aduantage of our weaknesses Dauids question is not more slow then his answer is speedy It is for Saul and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites Israel was full of sinnes besides those of Sauls house Sauls house was full of sinnes besides those of blood Much blood was shed by them besides that of the Gibeonites yet the iustice of God singles out this one sinne of violence offered to the Gibeonites contrary to the league made by Ioshua some foure hundred yeares before for the occasion of this late vengeance Where the causes of offence are infinite it is iust with God to pitch vpon some it is mercifull not to punish for all Welneer forty yeares are past betwixt the commission of the sinne and the reckoning for it It is a vaine hope that is raised from the delay of iudgement No time can be any preiudice to the ancient of dayes When wee haue forgotten our sins when the world hath forgotten vs he sues vs afresh for our arerages The slaughter of the Gibeonites was the sinne not of the present but rather the former generation and now posteritie payes for their forefathers Euen we men hold it not vniust to sue the heires and executors of our debters Eternall paiments God vses onely to require of the person temporarie oft-times of succession As Saul was higher by the head and shoulders then the rest of Israel both in stature and dignitie so were his sinnes more conspicuous then those of the vulgar The eminence of the person makes the offence more remarkable to the eyes both of God and men Neither Saul nor Israel were faultlesse in other kinds yet God fixes the eye of his reuenge vpon the massacre of the Gibeonites Euery sinne hath a tongue but that of blood ouer-cryes and drownes the rest Hee who is mercy it selfe abhorres crueltie in his creature aboue all other inordinatenesse That holy soule which was heauy pressed with the weight of an hainous adulterie yet cryes out Deliuer me from blood O God the God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse If God would take account of blood hee might haue entred the action vpon the blood of Vriah spilt by Dauid or if hee would rather insist in Sauls house vpon the blood of Abimelech the Priest and fourescore and fiue persons that did weare a linnen Ephod but it pleased the wisdome and iustice of the Almighty rather to
call for the blood of the Gibeonites though drudges of Israel and a remnant of Amorites Why this There was a periury attending vpon this slaughter It was an ancient Oath wherein the Princes of the congregation had bound themselues vpon Ioshua's league to the Gibeonites that they would suffer them to liue an oath extorted by fraud but solemne by no lesse â—â—me then the Lord God of Israel Saul will now thus late either not acknowledge it or not keepe it out of his zeale therefore to the children of Israel and Iudah he roots â—ut some of the Gibeonites whether in a zeale of reuenge of their first imposture or in a zeale of inlarging the possessions of Israel or in a zeale of executing Gods charge vpon the brood of Canaanites he that spared Agag whom he should haue smitten smites the Gibeonites whom he should haue spared Zeale and good intention is no excuse much lesse a warrant for euill God holds it an high indignitie that his name should be sworne by and violated Length of time cannot dispense with our oathes with our vowes The vowes and oathes of others may binde vs how much more our owne There was a famine in Israel a naturall man would haue ascribed it vnto the drought and that drought perhaps to some constellations Dauid knowes to looke higher and sees a diuine hand scourging Israel for some great offence and ouer-ruling those second causes to his most iust executions Euen the most quick-sighted worldling is pore-blind to 〈◊〉 all obiects and the weakest eyes of the regenerate pierce the heauens and espy God in all earthly occurrences So well was Dauid acquainted with Gods proceedings that he knew the remouall of the iudgement must begin at the satisfaction of the wronged At once therefore doth he pray vnto God and treat with the Gibeonites What shall I doe for you and wherewith shall I make the atonement that I may blesse the inheritance of the Lord In vaine should Dauid though a Prophet blesse Israel at the Gibeonites did not 〈…〉 lesse them Iniuries done vs on earth giue vs power in heauen The oppressor is in no mans mercy but his whom he hath trampled vpon Little did the Gibeonites thinke that God had so taken to heart their wrongs that for their sakes all Israel should suffer Euen when we thinke not of it is the righteous Iudge auenging our vnrighteous vexations Our hard measures cannot bee hid from him his returnes are hid from vs It is sufficient for vs that God can bee no more neglectiue then ignorant of our sufferings It is now in the power of these despised Hiuites to make their owne termes with Israel Neither Siluer nor Gold will sauour with them towards their satisfaction Nothing can expiate the blood of their fathers but the blood of seuen sonnes of their deceased persecutor Here was no other then a iust retaliation Saul had punished in them the offence of their predecessors they will now reuenge Sauls sinne in his children The measure we mete vnto others is with much equity re-measured vnto our selues Euery death would not content them of Sauls sonnes but a cursed and ignominious hanging on the Tree Neither would that death content them vnlesse their owne hands might bee the executioners Neither would any place serue for the execution but Gibeah the Court of Saul neither would they doe any of this for the wreaking of their own fury but for the appeasing of Gods wrath We will hang them vp vnto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul Dauid might not refuse the condition Hee must deliuer they must execute Hee chooses out seuen of the sonnes and grand-children of Saul That house had raised long an vniust persecution against Dauid now God payes it vpon anothers score Dauids loue and oath to Ionathan preserues lame Mephibosheth How much more shall the Father of all mercies doe good vnto the children of the faithfull for the couenant made with their Parents The fiue sonnes of Adriel the Meholathite Dauids ancient riuall in his first loue which were borne to him by Merab Sauls Daughter and brought vp by her barren sister Michol the wife of Dauid are yeelded vp to death Merab was after a promise of mariage to Dauid vniustly giuen away by Saul to Adriel Michol seemes to abet the match in breeding the children now in one act nor of Dauids seeking the wrong is thus late auenged vpon Saul Adriel Merab Michol the children It is a dangerous matter to offer iniury to any of Gods faithfull ones If their meeknesse haue easily remitted it their God will not passe it ouer without a seuere retribution These fiue together with two sonnes of Rizpah Sauls Concubine are hanged vp at once before the Lord yea and before the eyes of the World No place but an Hill wil serue for this execution The acts of iustice as they are intended for example so they should be done in that eminent fashion that may make them both most instructiue and most terrifying Vnwarrantable courses of priuate reuenge seeke to hide their heads in secresie The beautifull face of iustice both affects the light and becomes it It was the generall charge of Gods Law that no corps should remaine all night vpon the gibbet The Almighty hath power to dispense with his owne command so doubtlesse he did in this extraordinary case these carkasses did not defile but expiate Sorrowfull Rizpah spreads her a Tent of Sackcloth vpon the Rocke for a sad attendance vpon those sonnes of her wombe Death might bereaue her of them not them of her loue This spectacle was not more grieuous to her then pleasing to God and happy to Israel Now the clouds drop â—â—messe and the earth runs forth into plenty The Gibeonites are satisfied God reconciled Israel relieued How blessed a thing it is for any Nation that iustice is vnpartially executed euen vpon the mighty A few drops of blood haue procured large showres from Heauen A few carkasses are a rich compost to the earth The drought and dearth remoue away with the breath of those pledges of the offender Iudgements cannot tyrannize where iustice raignes as contrarily there can be no peace where blood cryes vnheard vnregarded The numbring of the people ISrael was growne wanton and mutinous God puls them downe first by the sword then by famine now by pestilence Oh the wondrous yet iust wayes of the Almightie Because Israel hath sinned therefore Dauid shall sinne that Israel may be punished Because God is angry with Israel therefore Dauid shall anger him more and strike himselfe in Israel and Israel through himselfe The spirit of God elsewhere ascribes this motion to Satan which here it attributes to God Both had their hand in the worke God by permission Satan by suggestion God as a Iudge Satan as an enemy God as in a iust punishment for sinne Satan as in an act of sinne God in a wise ordination of it to good Satan in a malicious intent of confusion Thus at once
our pride and false confidence in earthly things then with a fleshly criâ—â— though hainously seconded It was an hard and wofull choise of three yeares famine added to three fore-past or of three moneths flight from the sword of an enemie or three dayes pestilence The Almighty that had fore-determined his iudgement referres it to Dauids will as fully as if it were vtterly vndetermined God hath resolued yet Dauid may choose That infinite wisdome hath foreseene the very will of his creature which whiles it freely inclines it selfe to what it had rather vnwittingly wils that which was fore appointed in heauen We doe well beleeue thee O Dauid that thou wert in a wonderfull strait this very liberty is no other then fetters Thou needst not haue famine thou needst not haue the sword thou needst not haue pestilence one of them thou must haue There is misery in all there is misery in any thou and thy people can die but once and once they must dye either by famine warre or pestilence Oh God how vainely doe we hope to passe ouer our sinnes with impunitie when all the fauour that Dauid and Israel can receiue is to choose their bane Yet behold neither sinnes nor threats nor feares can bereaue a true penitent of his faith Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great There can bee no euill of punishment wherein God haue not an hand there could be no famine no sword without him but some euils are more immediate from a diuine stroke such was that plague into which Dauid is vnwillingly willing to fall He had his choyce of dayes moneths yeares in the same number and though the shortnesse of time prefixed to the threatned pestilence might seeme to offer some aduantage for the leading of his election yet God meant and Dauid knew it herein to proportion the difference of time to the violence of the plague neither should any fewer perish by so few dayes pestilence then by so many yeares famine The wealthiest might auoid the dearth the swiftest might runne away from the sword no man could promise himselfe safety from that pestilence In likelihood Gods Angell would rather strike the most guilty Howeuer therefore Dauid might well looke to be inwrapped in the common destruction yet he rather chooseth to fall into that mercy which hee had abused and to suffer from that iustice which he had prouoked Let vs now fall into the hands of the Lord. Humble confessions and deuout penance cannot alwayes auert temporall iudgements Gods Angell is abroad and within that short compasse of time sweepes away seuenty thousand Israelites Dauid was proud of the number of his subiects now they are abated that he may see cause of humiliation in the matter of his glory In what we haue offended we commonly smart These thousands of Israel were not so innocent that they should onely perish for Dauids sinne Their sinnes were the motiues both of this sinne and punishment besides the respect of Dauids offence they die for themselues It was no ordinarie pestilence that was thus suddenly and vniuersally mortall Common eyes saw the botch and the markes saw not the Angell Dauids clearer sight hath espyed him after that killing peragration through the Tribes of Israel shaking his sword ouer Ierusalem and houering ouer Mount Sion and now hee who doubtlesse had spent those three dismall dayes in the saddest contrition humbly casts himselfe downe at the feet of the auenger and layes himselfe ready for the fatall stroke of iustice It was more terrour that God intended in the visible shape of his Angell and deepeâ— humiliation and what he meant he wrought Neuer soule could be more deiected more anguished with the sense of a iudgement in the bitternesse whereof hee cryes out Behold I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly But these Sheepe what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house The better any man is the more sensible he is of his owne wretchednesse Many of those Sheepe were Wolues to Dauid What had they done They had done that which was the occasion of Dauids sinne and the cause of their owne punishment But that gracious penitent knew his owne sinne he knew not theirs and therefore can say I haue sinned What haue they done It is safe accusing where wee may be boldest and are best acquainted our selues Oh the admirable charitie of Dauid that would haue ingrossed the plague to himselfe and his house from the rest of Israel and sues to interpose himselfe betwixt his people and the vengeance He that had put himselfe vpon the pawes of the Beare and Lyon for the rescue of his Sheepe will now cast himselfe vpon the sword of the Angell for the preseruation of Israel There was hope in those conflicts in this yeeldance there could be nothing but death Thus didst thou O sonne of Dauid the true and great Shepheard of thy Church offer thy selfe to death for them who had their hands in thy blood who both procured thy death and deserued their owne Here he offered himselfe that had sinned for those whom he professed to haue not done euill thou that didst no sinne vouchsauest to offer thy selfe for vs that were all sinne Hee offered and escaped thou offeredst and diedst and by thy death we liue and are freed from euerlasting destruction But O Father of all mercies how little pleasure doest thou take in the blood of sinners it was thine owne pitie that inhibited the Destroyer Ere Dauid could see the Angell thou hadst restrained him It is sufficient hold now thy hand If thy compassion did not both with-hold and abridge thy iudgements what place were there for vs out of hell How easie and iust had it beene for God to haue made the shutting vp of that third euening red with blood his goodnes repents of the slaughter and cals for that Sacrifice wherewith he will be appeased An Altar must be built in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite Lo in that very Hill where the Angell held the sword of Abraham from killing his Sonne doth God now hold the Sword of the Angel from killing his people Vpon this very ground shall the Temple after stand heere shall be the holy Altar which shall send vp the acceptable oblations of Gods people in succeeding generations O God what was the threshing-floore of a Iebusite to thee aboue all other soyles What vertue what merit was in this earth As in places so in persons it is not to bee heeded what they are but what thou wilt That is worthiest which thou pleasest to accept Rich and bountifull Araunah is ready to meet Dauid in so holy a motion and munificently offers his Sion for the place his Oxen for the Sacrifice his Carts Ploughs and other Vtensils of his Husbandry for the wood Two franke hearts are well met Dauid would buy Araunah would giue The Iebusite would not sell Dauid will not take Since it was for
his power notwithstanding Dauids Caueat to haue laid downe his hoare-head in the graue without blood The iust God infatuates those whom he means to plague Two of Shimeies seruants are fled to Gath and now hee saddles his Asse and is gone to fetch them backe Either he thinkes this word of Salomon is forgotten or in the multitude of greater affaires not heeded or this so small an occurrence will not come to his eare Couetousnesse and presumption of impunity are the destruction of many a soule Shimei seekes his seruants and loses himselfe How many are there who cry out of this folly and yet imitate it These earthly things either are our seruants or should be how commonly doe we see men run out of the bounds set by Gods law to hunt after them till their soules incurre a fearefull iudgment Princes haue thousands of eies eares If Shimei wil for more secresie saddle his own Asse and take as is like the benefit of night for his passage his iourney cannot be hid from Salomon How warie had those men need to be which are obnoxious Without delay is Shimei complained of conuented charged with violation both of the oath of God and the iniunction of Salomon and that all these might appeare to be but an occasion of that punishment whose cause was more remote now is all that old venome laid before him which his malice had long since spit at Gods anointed Thou knowest all the wickednesse whereto thine heart is priuie that thou didst to Dauid my father Had this old tallie beene striken off yet could not Shimei haue pleaded ought for his life For had he said Let not my Lord the King be thus mortally displeased for so smal an offence Who euer died for passing ouer Kidron What man is the worse for my harmelesse iourney It had soone been returned If the act be small yet the circumstances are deadly The commands of Soueraigne authority make the sleightest duties weighty If the iourney be harmelesse yet not the disobedience It is not for subiects to poyse the Princes charge in the scales of their weake constructions but they must suppose it euer to be of such importance as is pretended by the Commander Besides the precept here was a mutuall adiuration Shimei swore not to goe Salomon swore his death if he went the one oath must be reuenged the other must be kept If Shimei were false in offending Salomon will be iust in punishing Now therefore that which Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah wished to haue done in the greenenesse of the wound and was repelled after long festering Benaiah is commanded to doe The stones that Shimei threw at Dauid strucke not so deepe as Benaiahs sword The tongue that cursed the Lords anointed hath paid the head to boot Vengeance against rebels may sleepe it cannot die A sure if late iudgement attends those that dare lift vp either their hand or tongue against the sacred persons of Gods Vice-gerents How much lesse will the God of heauen suffer vnreuenged the insolencies and blasphemies against his owne diuine Maiestie It is a fearefull word he should not be iust if he should hold these guiltlesse SALOMONS Choyce with his iudgement vpon the two Harlots AFter so many messages and proofes of grace Salomon begins doubtfully both for his match and for his deuotion If Pharaohs daughter were not a Proselyte his earely choyce was besides vnwarrantable dangerous The high places not onely stood but were frequented both by the people and King I doe not finde Dauid climbing vp those mis-hallowed hills in an affectation of the variety of Altars Salomon doth so and yet loues the Lord and is loued of God againe Such is the mercy of our God that he will not suffer our well-meant weaknesses to bereaue vs of his fauours he rathers pities then plagues vs for the infirmities of vpright hearts Gibeon was well worthy to be the chiefe yea the onely high place There was the allowed Altar of God there was the Tabernacle though as then seuered from the Arke thither did yong Salomon go vp and as desiring to begin his raigne with God there he offers no lesse then a thousand sacrifices Salomon worships God by day God appeares to Salomon by night Well may we looke to enioy God when wee haue serued him The night cannot but bee happy whose day hath beene holy It was no vnusuall course with God to reueale himselfe vnto his seruants by dreams So did he here to Salomon who saw more with his eies shut then euer they could see open euen him that was inuisible The good King had offered vnto God a thousand burnt sacrifices and now God offereth him his option Aske what I shall giue thee He whose the beasts are on a thousand mountaines graciously accepts a small returne of his owne It stands not with the munificence of a bountifull God to bee indebted to his creature we cannot giue him ought vnrecompensed There is no way wherein we can be so liberall to our selues as by giuing to the possessor of all things And art thou still O God lesse free vnto vs thy meaner seruants vnder the Gospell Hast thou not said Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my Name it shall be giuen you Onely giue vs grace not to be wanting vnto thee and we know thou canst not suffer any thing to be wanting vnto vs. The night followes the temper of the day and the heart so vseth to sleepe as it wakes Had not the thoughts of Salomon beene intent vpon wisdome by day he had not made it his suit in his dreame There needs no leisure of deliberation The heart was so fore-stalled with the loue and admiration of wisdome that not abiding the least motion of a competition it fastens on that grace it had longed for Giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people Had not Salomon beene wise before he had not knowne the worth of wisdome he had not preferred it in his desires The dung-hill cockes of the World cannot know the price of this pearle those that haue it know that all other excellencies are but trash and rubbish vnto it Salomon was a great King and saw that he had power enough but withall hee found that royaltie without wisdome was no other then eminent dishonour There is no trade of life whereto there belongs not a peculiar wisdome without which there is nothing but a tedious vnprofitablenesse much more to the hiest and busiest vocation the regiment of men As God hath no reason to giue his best fauours vnasked so hath hee no will to with-hold them where they are asked He that in his cradle had the title of Beloued of God is now beloued more in the thron for the loue desire of wisdom this soil could neuer haue born this fruit alone Salomon could not so much as haue dreamed of wisdome if God had not put it into him and now God takes the suit so well as if he were beholden to
this bait to take so wel that he neuer changed it since he crept into Paradise How many haue we knowne whose heads haue been broken with their owne rib In the first world the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men and tooke them wiues of all they liked they multiplyed not children but iniquities Balaam knew well if the dames of Moab could make the Israelites wantons they should soon make them Idolaters All lyes open where the couenant is not both made with the eye and kept It was the charge of God to the Kings of Israel before they were that they should not multiply Wiues Salomon hath gone beyond the stakes of the law and now is readie to leese himselfe amongst a thousand bedfellowes Who so layes the reines in the necke of his carnall appetite cannot promise where he will rest Oh Salomon where was thy wisedome whiles thine affections runne away with thee into so wilde a voluptuousnesse What bootes it thee to discourse of all things whiles thou mis-knowest thy selfe The perfections of speculation doe not argue the inward powers of selfe-gouernment The eye may be cleare whiles the hand is palsied It is not so much to be heeded how the soule is informed as how it is disciplined The light of knowledge doth well but the due order of the affections doth better Neuer any meere man since the first knew so much as Salomon many that haue knowne lesse haue had more command of themselues A competent estate well husbanded is better then a vast patrimony neglected There can be no safety to that soule where is not a strait curbe vpon our desires If our lusts be not held vnder as slaues they will rule as tyrants Nothing can preuent the extremitie of our mis-cariage but early and strong denials of our concupiscence Had Salomon done thus delicacie and lawlesse greatnesse had not ledde him into these bogs of intemperance The wayes of youth are steepe and slipperie wherein as it is easie to fall so it is commonly relieued with pitie but the wanton inordinations of age are not more vnseasonable then odious yet behold Salomons yonger yeares were studious and innocent his ouer-hastened age was licentious and misgouerned For when Salomon was old his wiues turned away his heart after other gods If any age can secure vs from the danger of a spirituall fall it is our last and if any mans old-age might secure him it was â—alomons the beloued of God the Oracle the miracle of wisedome who would haue looked but that the blossomes of so hopefull a spring should haue yeelded a goodly and pleasant fruit in the Autumne of age yet behold euen Salomons old age vicious There is no time wherin we be safe whiles we can carie this body of sin about vs Youth is impetuous mid-age stubborne old age weake all dangerous Say not now The fury of my youthfull flashes is ouer I shall henceforth finde my heart calme and impregnable whiles thou seest old Salomon doting vpon his Concubines yea vpon their Idolatry It is no presuming vpon time or meanes or strength how many haue begunne and proceeded well who yet haue shamed themselues in their last stage If God vphold vs not we cannot stand If God vphold vs we cannot fal when we are at our strongest it is best to be weake in our selues and when at our weakest strong in him in whom we can doe all things I cannot yet thinke so hard of Salomon that he would proiect his person to Ashteroth the goddesse of the Sidonians or Milchom the Idol of the Ammonites or Chemosh the abomination of Moab Hee that knew all things from the shrub of the Cedar could not be ignorant that these statues were but stocks and stones or metals and the powers resembled by them Deuils It is not like he could be so insensate to adore such Deities but so farre was the vxorious King blinded with affection that hee gaue not passage onely to the Idolatry of his heathenish wiues but furtherance So did he dote vpon their persons that he humoured them in their sinnes Their act is therefore his because his eyes winkt at it his hand aduanced it Hee that built a Temple to the liuing God for himselfe and Israel in Sion built a Temple to Chemosh in the mount of Scandall for his Mistresses of Moab in the very face of Gods House No hill about Ierusalem was free from a Chappell of Deuils Each of his dames had their Puppets their Altars their Incense Because Salomon feeds them in their superstition he drawes the sinne home to himselfe and is branded for what he should haue forbidden Euen our very permission appropriates crimes to vs Wee need no more guiltinesse of any sinne then our willing toleration Who can but yearne and feare to see the wofull wracke of so rich and goodly a vessell O Salomon wert not thou hee whose yonger yeares God honoured with a message and stile of loue To whom God twice appeared and in a gracious vision renewed the Couenant of his fauour Whom he singled out from all the generation of men to be the founder of that glorious Temple which was no lesse cleerely the Type of heauen then thou wert of Christ the Sonne of the euerliuing God Wert not thou that deep Sea of wisdome which God ordained to send forth riuers and fountaines of all diuine and humane knowledge to all Nations to all ages Wert not thou one of those select Secretaries whose hand it pleased the Almighty to employ in three pieces of the diuine monuments of sacred Scriptures Which of vs dares euer hope to aspire vnto thy graces Which of vs can promise to secure our selues from thy ruines We fall O God we fall to the lowest hell if thou preuent vs not if thou sustaine vs not Vphold thou me according to thy Word that I may liue and let mee not be ashamed of my hope Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquitie haue dominion ouer me All our weaknesse is in our selues all our strength is in thee O God be thou strong in our weaknesse that our weake knees may be euer steddy in thy strength But in the midst of the horror of this spectacle able to affright all the sonnes of men behold some glimpse of comfort was it of Salomon that Dauid his father prophesied Though he fall he shall not bee vtterly cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand If sensible grace yet finall mercy was not taken from that beloued of God In the hardest of this winter the sap was gone downe to the root though it shewed not in the branches Euen whiles Salomon remoued that word stood fast Hee shall be my sonne and I will be his Father He that foresaw his sinne threatned and limited his correction If he breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visit his transgression with a rod and his iniquitie with stripes Neuerthelesse my louing kindnesse will I not vtterly take
from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile My Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Behold the fauour of God doth not depend vpon Salomons obedience If Salomon shall suffer his faithfulnesse to faile towards his God God will not requite him with the failing of his faithfulnesse to Salomon If Salomon breake his Couenant with God God will not breake his Couenant with the father of Salomon with the sonne of Dauid He shall smart hee shall not perish Oh gracious word of the God of all mercies able to giue strength to the languishing comfort to the despairing to the dying life Whatsoeuer wee are thou wilt be still thy selfe O holy One of Israel true to thy Couenant constant to thy Decree The sinnes of thy chosen can neither frustrate thy counsell nor out-strip thy mercies Now I see Salomon of a wanton louer a graue Preacher of mortification I see him quenching those inordinate flames with the teares of his repentance Me thinks I heare him sighing deepely betwixt euery word of that his solemne penance which he would need enioyne himselfe before all the world I haue applyed my heart to know the wickednesse of folly euen the foolishnesse of madnesse and I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands Who so pleaseth God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Salomon was taken as a sinner deliuered as a penitent His soule escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare was broken and he deliuered It is good for vs that he was both taken and deliuered Taken that wee might not presume and that we might not despaire deliuered He sinned that we might not sinne hee recouered that we may not sinke vnder our sinne But oh the iustice of God inseparable from his mercy Salomons sinne shall not escape the rod of men Rather then so wise an offender shall want enemies God shall raise vp three aduersaries vnto Salomon Hadad the Edomite Rezon the King of Aram Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat whereof two were foraine one domesticall Nothing but loue and peace sounded in the name of Salomon nothing else was found in his raigne whiles he held in good termes with his God But when once hee fell foule with his Maker all things began to be troubled There are whips laid vp against the time of Salomons fore-seene offence which are now brought forth for his correction On purpose was Hadad the sonne of the King of Edom hid in a corner of Egypt from the sword of Dauid and Ioab that he might be reserued for a scourge to the exorbitant sonne of Dauid God would haue vs make account that our peace ends with our innocence The same sinne that sets debate betwixt God and vs armes the creatures against vs It were pitie wee should be at any quiet whiles wee are falne out with the God of peace Contemplations VPON THE PRINCIPALL HISTORIES OF THE NEVV TESTAMENT THE THIRD BOOKE Containing The Widowes sonne raised The Rulers sonne healed The dumbe Deuill eiected MATTHEW called Christ among the Gergesens or Legion and the Gaderene Herd By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER TO MY RIGHT VVORTHY AND WORSHIPFVLL FRIEND MASTER IOHN GIFFORD of Lancrasse in Deuon Esquire All Grace and Peace SIR J hold it as I ought one of the rich mercies of GOD that he hath giuen me fauour in some eies which haue not seene me but none that J know hath so much demerited me vnknowne as your worthy Familie Ere therefore you see my face see my hand willingly professing my thankefull Obligations Wherewith may it please you to accept of this parcell of thoughts not vnlike those fellowes of theirs whom you haue entertained aboue their desert These shall present vnto you our bountifull SAVIOVR magnifying his mercies to men in a sweet varietie healing the diseased raising the dead casting out the Deuill calling in the Publican and shall raise your heart to adore that infinite goodnesse Euery helpe to our deuotion deserues to bee precious So much more as the decrepit age of the World declines to an heartlesse coldnesse of Pietie That GOD to whose honour these poore labours are meant blesse them in your hands and from them to all Readers To his protection J heartily commend you and the right vertuous Gentlewoman your worthy wife with all the pledges of your happy affection as whom you haue deserued to be Your truly thankfull and officious friend IOS HALL The Widowes Sonne raised THE fauours of our beneficent Sauiour were at the least contiguous No sooner hath he raised the Centurions seruant from his bed then he raises the Widowes Sea from his Beere The fruitfull clouds are not ordained to fall all in one field Nain must partake of the bounty of Christ as well as Cana or Capernaum And if this Sunne were fixed in one Orbe yet it diffuseth heat and light to all the world It is not for any place to ingrosse the messengers of the Gospell whose errand is vniuersall This immortall seed may not fall all in one furrow The little City of Nain stood vnder the hill of Hermon neere vnto Tabor but now it is watered with better dewes from aboue the doctrine miracles of a Sauiour Not for state but for the more euidence of the worke is our Sauior attended with a large traine so entring into the gate of that walled City as if he meant to besiege their faith by his power and to take it His prouidence hath so contriued his iourney that he meets with the sad pompe of a funerall A wofull widow attended with her weeping neighbours is following her onely sonne to the graue There was nothing in this spectacle that did not command compassion A yong man in the flowre in the strength of his age swallowed vp by death Our decrepit age both expects death and sollicites it but vigorous youth lookes strangely vpon that grim sergeant of God Those mellow apples that fall alone from the tree we gather vp with contentment wee chide to haue the vnripe vnseasonably beaten downe with cudgells But more a yong man the onely sonne the onely childe of his mother No condition can make it other then grieuous for a well natur'd mother to part with her own bowels yet surely store is some mitigation of losse Amongst many children one may be more easily missed for still wee hope the suruiuing may supply the comforts of the dead but when all our hopes and ioyes must either liue or die in one the losse of that one admits of no consolation When God would describe the most passionate expression of sorrow that can fall into the miserable hee can but say Oh daughter of my people gird thee with sackcloth and wallow thy selfe in the ashes make lamentation and bitter mourning as for thine onely sonne Such was the losse such was the sorrow of this disconsolate
forefathers Ioshua caused the Sunne to stand still Elias brought fire downe from heauen Samuel astonisht the people with thunder and raine in the midst of haruest If thou wouldst command our beleefe doe somewhat like to these The casting out of a Deuill shewes thee to haue some power ouer hell shew vs now that thou hast no lesse power ouer heauen There is a kinde of vnreasonablenesse of desire and insatiablenesse in infidelitie it neuer knowes when it hath euidence enough This which the Iewes ouer-looked was a more irrefragable demonstration of diuinity then that which they desired A Deuill was more then a Meteor or a parcell of an element to cast out a Deuill by command more then to command fire from heauen Infidelitie euer loues to be her owne caruer No sonne can be more like a father then these Iewes to their progenitors in the desert that there might be no feare of degenerating into good they also of old tempted God in the Wildernesse First they are weary of the Egyptian bondage and are ready to fall out with God and Moses for their stay in those fornaces By ten miraculous plagues they are freed and going out of those confines the Egyptians follow them the Sea is before them now they are more afflicted with their liberty then their seruitude The Sea yeelds way the Egyptians are drowned and now that they are safe on the other shore they tempt the prouidence of God for water The Rocke yeelds it them then no lesse for bread and meat God sends them Manna and Quailes they cry out of the food of Angels Their present enemies in the way are vanquished they whine at the men of measures in the heart of Canaan Nothing from God but mercy nothing from them but temptations Their true brood both in nature and sinne had abundant proofes of the Messiah if curing the blinde lame diseased deafe dumbe eiecting deuills ouer-ruling the elements raising the dead could haue beene sufficient yet still they must haue a signe from heauen and shut vp in the stile of the Tempter If thou be the Christ The gracious heart is credulous Euen where it sees not it beleeues and where it sees out a little it beleeues a great deale Neither doth it presume to prescribe vnto God what and how he shall work but takes what it findes and vnmoueably rests in what it takes Any miracle no miracle serues enough for their assent who haue built their faith vpon the Gospell of the Lord Iesus Matthew called THE number of the Apostles was not yet full One roome is left void for a future occupant who can but expect that it is reserued for some eminent person and behold Matthew the Publican is the man Oh the strange election of Christ Those other disciples whose calling is recorded were from the Fisher-boat this from the Tole booth They were vnlettered this infamous The condition was not in it selfe sinfull but as the taxes which the Romans imposed on Gods free people were odious so the Collectors the Farmers of them abominable Besides that it was hard to hold that seat without oppression without exaction One that best knew it branded it with poling and sycophancie And now behold a griping Publican called to the familie to the Apostle-ship to the Secretary-ship of God Who can despaire in the conscience of his vnworthinesse when hee sees this patterne of the free bounty of him that calleth vs Merits doe not cary it in the gracious election of God but his meere fauour There sate Matthew the Publican busie in his Counting-house reckoning vp the sums of his Rentals raking vp his arerages and wrangling for denied duties did so little thinke of a Sauior that he did not so much as look at his passage but Iesus as he passed by saw a man sitting at the receit of custome named Matthew As if this prospect had bin sudden and casuall Iesus saw him in passing by Oh Sauiour before the world was thou sawest that man sitting there thou sawest thine own passage thou sawest his call in thy passage and now thou goest purposely that way that thou mightest see and call Nothing can be hid from that piercing eye one glance wherof hath discerned a Disciple in the cloathes of a Publican That habit that shop of extortion cannot conceale from thee a vessel of election In all formes thou knowest thine own and in thine own time shalt fetch them out of the disguises of their foule sinnes or vnfit conditions What sawest thou O Sauior in that Publican that might either allure thine eye or not offend it What but an hatefull trade an euill eye a gripple hand bloody tables heapes of spoile yet now thou saidst Follow me Thou that saidst once to Ierusalem Thy birth and natiuitie is of the land of Canaan Thy father was an Amorite thy mother an Hittite Thy nauell was not cut neither wert thou washed in water to supple thee thou wast not salted at all thou wast not swadled at all None eye pitied thee but thou must cast out in the open fields to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne blood I said vnto thee Liue yea I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy blood Liue Now also when thou passed it by and sawest Matthew sitting at the receit of custome saidest to him Follow mee The life of this Publican was so much worse then the birth of that forlorne Amorite as Follow me was more then Liue What canst thou see in vs O God but vgly deformities horrible sinnes despicable miseries yet doth it please thy mercy to say vnto vs both Liue and Follow me The iust man is the first accuser of himselfe whom doe wee heare to blazon the shame of Matthew but his owne mouth Matthew the Euangelist tels vs of Matthew the Publican His fellowes call him Leui as willing to lay their finger vpon the spot of his vnpleasing profession himselfe will not smother nor blanche it a whit but publishes it to all the world in a thankfull recognition of the mercy that called him as liking well that his basenesse should serue for a fit foyle to set off the glorious lustre of his grace by whom he was elected What matters it how vile we are O God so thy glory may rise in our abasement That word was enough Follow mee spoken by the same tongue that said to the corps at Nain Young man I say to thee Arise Hee that said at first Let there bee light sayes now Follow mee That power sweetly inclines which could forcibly command the force is not more vnresistable then the inclination When the Sunne shines vpon the Isicles can they choose but melt and fall When it lookes into a dungeon can the place choose but be inlightened Doe wee see the Iet drawing vp strawes to it the Load-stone iron and doe wee maruell if the omnipotent Sauiour by the influence of his grace
helpe of the Physitian this desperate because it needs not Euery soule is sicke those most that feele it not Those that feele it complaine those that complaine haue cure those that feele it not shall finde themselues dying ere they can wish to recouer Oh blessed Physitian by whose stripes we are healed by whose death we liue happy are they that are vnder thy hands sicke as of sinne so of sorrow for sinne it is as vnpossible they should dye as it is vnpossible for thee to want either skill or power or mercy Sinne hath made vs sicke vnto death make thou vs but as sicke of our sinnes we are as safe as thou are gracious Christ among the Gergesens or Legion and the Gaderene Herd I Doe not any where finde so furious a Demoniacke as amongst the Gergesens Satan is most tyrannous where he is obeyed most Christ no sooner sailed ouer the lake then hee was met with two possessed Gadarenes The extreme rage of the one hath drowned the mention of the other Yet in the midst of all that cruelty of the euill spirit there was sometimes a remission if not an intermission of vexation If oft-times Satan caught him then sometimes in the same violence hee caught him not It was no thanke to that malignant one who as he was indefatigable in his executions so vnmeasurable in his malice but to the mercifull ouer-ruling of God who in a gracious respect to the weaknesse of his poore creatures limits the spightfull attempts of that immortall enemie and takes off this Mastiue whiles wee may take breath He who in his iustice giues way to some onsets of Satan in his mercy restraines them so regarding our deseruings that withall he regards our strength If way should be giuen to that malicious spirit we could not subsist no violent thing can endure if Satan might haue his wil we should no moment be free He can be no more weary of doing euil to vs then God is of doing good Are we therefore preserued from the malignitie of these powers of darknesse Blessed be our strong helper that hath not giuen vs ouer to be a prey vnto their teeth Or if some scope haue been giuen to that enuious one to afflict vs hath it been with fauourable limitations it is thine onely mercy O God that hath chained and muzled vp this band-dog so as that hee may scratch vs with his pawes but cannot pierce vs with his fangs Farre farre is this from our deserts who had too well merited a iust abdication from thy fauour and protection and an interminable seisure by Satan both in soule and body Neither doe I here see more matter of thankes to our God for our immunity from the externall iniuries of Satan then occasion of serious inquirie into his power ouer vs for the spirituall I see some that thinke themselues safe from this ghostly tyranny because they sometimes finde themselues in good moods free from the suggestions of grosse sinnes much more from the commission Vaine men that feed themselues with so false and friuolous comforts will they not see Satan through the iust permission of God the same to the soule in mentall possessions that he is to the body in corporall The worst demoniack hath his lightsome respites not euer tortured not euer furious betwixt whiles hee might looke soberly talke sensibly moue regularly It is a wofull comfort that wee sinne not alwayes There is no Master so barbarous as to require of his Slaue a perpetuall vnintermitted toyle yet though hee sometimes eate sleepe rest hee is a vassall still If that wicked one haue drawne vs to a customarie perpetration of euill and haue wrought vs to a frequent iteration of the same sinne this is gage enough for our seruitude matter enough for his tyrannie and insultation He that would be our tormenter alwaies cares onely to be sometimes our Tempter The possessed is bound as with the invisible fetters of Satan so with the materiall chaines of the inhabitants What can bodily force preuaile against a spirit Yet they indeuour this restraint of the man whether out of charitie or iustice Charitie that he might not hurt himselfe Iustice that he might not hurt others None doe so much befriend the Demoniacke as those that binde him Neither may the spiritually possessed be otherwise handled for though this act of the enemie be plausible and to appearance pleasant yet there is more danger in this deare and smiling tyranny Two sorts of chaines are fit for outragious sinners Good lawes vnpartiall executions That they may not hurt that they may not be hurt to eternall death These iron chaines are no sooner fast then broken There was more thâ—n an humane power in this disruption It is not hard to conceiue the vtmost of nature in this kinde of actions Sampson doth not breake the cords and ropes like a threed of towe but God by Sampson The man doth not breake these chaines but the spirit How strong is the arme of these euill angels how farre transcending the ordinarie course of nature They are not called Powers for nothing what flesh and blood could but tremble at the palpable inequalitie of this match if herein the mercifull protection of our God did not the rather magnifie it selfe that so much strength met with so much malice hath not preuailed against vs In spight of both wee are in safe hands Hee that so easily brake the iron fetters can neuer breake the adamantine chaine of our faith In vaine doe the chafing billowes of hell beat vpon that Rocke whereon wee are built And though these brittle chaines of earthly metall bee easily broken by him yet the sure tempered chaine of Gods eternall Decree hee can neuer breake that almightie Arbiter of Heauen and Earth and Hell hath chained him vp in the bottomlesse pit and hath so restrained his malice that but for our good wee cannot be tempted wee cannot be foyled but for a glorious victory Alas it is no otherwise with the spiritually possessed The chaines of restraint are commonly broken by the fury of wickednesse What are the respects of ciuilitie feare of God feare of men wholesome lawes carefull executions to the desperately licentious but as cobwebs to an harnet Let these wilde Demoniacks know that God hath prouided chaines for them that will hold euen euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse these are such as must hold the Deuils themselues their masters vnto the iudgement of the great Day how much more those impotent vassals Oh that men would suffer themselues to be bound to their good behauiour by the sweet and easie recognizances of their duty to their God and the care of their owne soules that so they might rather be bound vp in the bundle of life It was not for rest that these chaines were torne off but for more motion This prisoner runnes away from his friends hee cannot runne away from his Iaylor Hee is now caried into the Wildernesse Not by meere externall force but by
God and interrupts that glorious seruice with a loud inclamation of iudgement Doubtlesse the man wanted not wit to know what displeasure what danger must needs follow so vnwelcome a message yet dares hee vpon the commission of God doe this affront to an Idolatrous King in the midst of all his awfull magnificence The Prophets of God goe vpon many a thanklesse errand Hee is no messenger for God that either knowes or feares the faces of men It was the Altar not the person of Ieroboam which the Prophet thus threatens Yet not the stones are stricken but the founder in both their apprehensions So deare as the deuices of our owne braine to vs as if they were incorporated into our selues There is no opposition whereof we are so sensible as that of religion That the royall Altar should be thus polluted by dead mens bones and the blood of the Priests was not more vnpleasing then that all this should be done by a childe of the house of Dauid for Ieroboam well saw that the throne and the altar must gand or fall together that a sonne of Dauid could not haue such power ouer the Altar without an vtter subuersion of the gouernment of the succession therefore is he thus galled with this comminatory prediction The rebellious people who had said What portion haue we in Dauid heare now that Dauid will perforce haue a portion in them and might well see what beasts they had made themselues in worshipping the image of a beast and sacrificing to such a God as could not preserue his owne Altar from violation and ruine All this while I doe not see this zealous Prophet laying his hand to the demolition of this Idolatrous Altar or threatning a knife to the Author of this deprauation of religion Onely his tongue smites both not with foule but sharpe words of menace not of reproach It was for Iosias a King to shed the blood of those sacrificers to deface those Altars Prophets are for the tongue Princes for the hand Prophets must onely denounce iudgement Princes execute Future things are present to the Eternall It was some two hundred and sixty years ere this prophecy should be fulfilled yet the man of God speaks of it as now in acting What are some Centuries of yeares to the Ancient of dayes How slow and yet how sure is the pace of Gods reuenge It is not in the power of time to frustrate Gods determinations There is no lesse iustice nor seueritie in a delayed punishment What a perfect Record there is of all names in the roll of Heauen before they be after they are past what euer seeming contingency there is in their imposition yet they fall vnder the certainty of a decree and are better knowne in heauen ere they be then on earth whiles they are He that knowes what names wee shall haue before we or the world haue a being doth not oft reueale this peece of his knowledge to his creature here he doth naming the man that should be two hundred yeeres after for more assurance of the euent that Israel may say this man speakes from a God who knowes what shall be There cannot bee a more sure euidence of a true Godhead then the foreknowledge of those things whose causes haue yet no hope of being But because the proofe of this prediction was not more certaine then remote a present demonstration shall conuince the future The Altar shall rend in peeces the ashes shall be scattered How amazedly must the seduced Israelites needes looke vpon this miracle and why doe they not thinke with themselues whiles these stones rend why are our hearts whole Of what an ouer-ruling power is the God whom wee haue forsaken that can thus teare the Altars of his corriuals How shall wee stand before his vengeance when the very stones breake at the word of his Prophet Perhaps some beholders were thus affected but Ieroboam whom it most concerned in stead of bowing his knees for humiliation stretcheth forth his hand for reuenge and cryes Lay hold on him Resolute wickednesse is impatient of a reproofe and in stead of yeelding to the voice of God rebelleth Iust and discreet reprehension doth not more reforme some sinners then exasperate others How easie is it for God to coole the courage of proud Ieroboam the hand which his rage stretches out dries vp and cannot bee pulled backe againe and now stands the King of Israel like some anticke statue in a posture of impotent indeuour so disabled to the hurt of the Prophet that hee cannot command that peece of himselfe What are the great Potentates of the world in the powerfull hand of the Almighty Tyrants cannot be so harmefull as they are malicious The strongest heart may be brought downe with affliction Now the stout stomach of Ieroboam is fallen to an humble deprecation Intreat now the face of the Lord thy thy God and pray for me that my hand may bee restored mee againe It must needs bee a great streight that could driue a proud heart to begge mercy where he bent his persecution so doth Ieroboam holding it no scorne to be beholden to an enemy In extremities the worst men can bee content to sue for fauour where they haue spent their malice It well becomes the Prophets of God to be mercifull I doe not see this Seer to stand vpon termes of exprobration and ouerly contestations with Ieroboam to say Thine intentions to me were cruell Had thine hand preuailed I should haue sued to thee in vaine Continue euer a spectacle of the fearfull iustice of thy Maker whom thou hast prouoked by thine Idolatry whom thou wouldest haue smitten in my perfection but hee meekely sues for Ieroboams release and that God might abundantly magnifie both his power and mercy is heard and answered with successe We doe no whit sauour of heauen if we haue not learned to doe good for euill When both winde and Sunne the blasts of iudgement and the beames of fauour met together to worke vpon Ieroboam who would not looke that hee should haue cast off this cumbrous and mis-beseeming cloake of his Idolatry and haue said Lord thou hast striken mee in iustice thou hast healed mee in mercy I will prouoke thee no more This hand which thou hast restored shall bee consecrated to thee in pulling downe these bold abominations Yet now behold hee goes on in his old courses and as if God had neither done him good nor euill liues and dies idolatrous No stone is more hard or insensate then a sinfull heart The changes of iudgement and mercy doe but obdure it in stead of melting The seduced Prophet IEroboams hand is amended his soule is not that continues still dry and inflexible Yet whiles hee is vnthankfull to the Author of his recouery he is thankfull to the instrument he kindely inuites the Prophet whom he had threatned and will remunerate him whom hee endeuoured to punish The worst men may be sensible of bodily fauours Ciuill respects
to a liking to a forbearance of his misdeuotion Yea so much the more doth the heart of Asa rise against these puppets for that they were the sinne the shame of his father Did there want thinke we some Courtier of his Fathers retinue to say Sir fauour the memorie of him that begot you you cannot demolish these statues without the dishonour of their Erector Hide your dislike at the least It will bee your glory to lay your finger vpon this blot of your fathers reputation If you list not to allow his act yet winke at it The godly zeale of Asa turnes the deafe eare to these monitors and lets them see that hee doth not more honor a father then hate an Idol No dearenesse of person should take off the edge of our detestation of the sinne Nature is worthy of forgetfulnesse and contempt in opposition to the God of Nature Vpon the same ground as hee remoued the Idols of his father Abijam so for Idols he remoued his Grand-mother Maachah shee would not be remoued from her obscene Idols shee is therefore remoued from the station of her honor That Princesse had aged both in her regency and superstition Vnder her rod was Asa bruought vp and schooled in the rudiments of her Idolatry whom she could not infect she hoped to ouer-awe so as if Asa will not follow her gods yet she presumes that shee may retaine her owne Doubtlesse no meanes were neglected for her reclamation none would preuaile Religious Asa gathers vp himselfe and begins to remember that he is a King though a sonne that she though a mother yet is a subiect that her eminence could not but countenance Idolatry that her greatnesse suppressed religion which hee should in vaine hope to reforme whiles her superstition swayed forgetting therefore the challenges of nature the awe of infancy the custome of reuerence hee strips her of that command which hee saw preiudiciall to his Maker All respects of flesh and blood must be trampled on for God Could that long-setled Idolatry want abettors Questionlesse some or other would say This was the religion of your father Abijam this of your Grand-father Rehoboam this of the latter daies of your wise and great Grand-father Salomon this of your Grand-mother Maachah this of your great Grand-mother Naamah why should it not be yours Why should you suspect either the wisdome or piety or saluation of so many Predecessors Good Asa had learned to contemne prescription against a direct law He had the grace to know it was no measuring truth by so modeme antiquity his eyes scorning to looke so low raise vp themselues to the vncorrupt times of Salomon to Dauid to Samuel to the Iudges to Ioshua to Moses to the Patriarks to Noah to the religious founders of the first world to the first father of mankinde to Paradise to heauen In comparison of these Maachahs God cannot ouerlooke yesterday the ancientest error is but a nouice to Truth And if neuer any example could be pleaded for puritie of religion it is enough that the precept is expresse He knew what God said in Sinai and wrote in the Tables Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor any similitude Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them If all the world had beene an Idolater euer since that word was giuen hee knew how little that precedent could auaile for disobedience Practice must bee corrected by law and not the law yeeld to practice Maachah therefoe goes downe from her seat her Idols from their groue shee to retirednesse they to the fire and from thence to the water Wofull deities that could both burne and drowne Neither did the zeale of Asa more magnifie it selfe in these priuatiue acts of weeding out the corruptions of Religion then in the positiue acts of an holy plantation In the falling of those Idolatrous shrines the Temple of God flourishes That doth he furnish with those sacred treasures which were dedicated by himselfe by the Progenitors Like the true sonne of Dauid hee would not serue God cost-free Rehoboam turned Salomons gold into brasse Asa turnes Rehoboams brasse into gold Some of these vessels it seemes Abijam Asaes father had dedicated to God but after his vow inquired yea with held them Asa like a good sonne payes his fathers debts and his owne It is a good signe of a well-meant deuotion when wee can abide it chargeable as contrarily in the affaires of God a niggardly hand argues a cold and hollow heart All these were noble and excellent acts the extirpation of Sodomie the demolition of Idols the remouall of Maachah the bountious contribution to the Temple but that which giues true life vnto all these is a sound root Asaes heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes No lesse laudable workes then these haue proceeded from Hypocrisie which whiles they haue caried away applause from men haue lost their thankes with God All Asaes gold was but drosse to his pure intentions But oh what great and many infirmities may consist with vprightnesse What allayes of imperfection will there be found in the most refined soule Foure no small faults are found in true-hearted Asa First the high-places stood still vnremoued What high places There were some dedicated to the worship of false gods these Asa tooke away There were some misdeuoted to the worship of the true God these hee lets stand There was grosse Idolatry in the former there was a weake will-worship in the latter whiles hee opposes impietie hee winkes at mistakings yet euen the varietie of altars was forbidden by an expresse charge from God who had confined his seruice to the Temple With one breath doth God report both these The high-places were not remoued yet neuerthelesse Asaes heart was perfit God will not see weakenesses where he sees truth How pleasing a thing is sinceritie that in fauour thereof the mercy of our iust God digests many an errour Oh God let our hearts goe vpright though our feet slide the fall cannot through thy grace be deadly howeuer it may shame or paine vs. Besides to confront his riuall of Israel Baasha this religious King of Iudah fetches in Benhadad the King of Syria into Gods inheritance vpon too deare a rate the breach of his league the expilation of the Temple All the wealth wherewith Asa had endowed the House of the Lord was little enough to 〈◊〉 an Edomite to betray his fidelitie and to inuade Israel Leagues may bee made with Infidels not at such a price vpon such tearmes There can bee no warrant for a wilfull subornation of perfidiousnesse In these cases of outward things the mercy of God dispenceth with our true necessities not with the affected O Asa where was thy piety whiles thou robbest God to corrupt an Infidell for the daughter of Israelites O Princes where is your pietie whiles yee hire Turkes to the slaughter of Christians to the spoile of Gods Church Yet which was worse Asa doth not onely imploy the
Syrian but relies on him relies not on God A confidence lesse sinfull cost his Grand-father Dauid deare And when Hanani Gods Seer the Herald of heauen came to denounce warre against him for these sinnes Asa in stead of penitence breakes into choler Fury sparkles in those eyes which should haue gushed out with water Those lips that should haue call'd for mercy command reuenge How ill doe these two agree The heart of Dauid the tongue of Ieroboam That holy Grandfather of his would not haue done so when Gods messenger reproued him for sinne hee condemned it and himselfe for it I see his teares I doe not heare his threats It ill becomes a faithfull heart to rage where it should sorrow and in stead of submission to persecute Sometimes no difference appeares betwixt a sonne of Dauid and the sonne of Nebat Any man may doe ill but to defend it to outface it is for rebels yet euen vpright Asa imprisons the Prophet and crusheth his gainsayers It were pitie that the best man should bee iudged by euery of his actions and not by all The course of our life must either allow or condemne vs not these sudden eruptions As the Life so the Death-bed of Asa wanted not infirmities Long and prosperous had his reigne beene now after forty yeares health and happinesse hee that imprisoned the Prophet is imprisoned in his bed There is more paine in those fetters which God put vpon Asa then those which Asa puts vpon Hanani And now behold hee that in his warre seekes to Benhadad not to God in his sicknesse seekes not to God but to Physitians Wee cannot easily put vpon God a greater wrong then the alienation of our trust Earthly meanes are for vse not for confidence We may wee must imploy them we may not rely vpon them Well may God challenge our trust as his peculiar which if wee cast vpon any creature wee deifie it Whence haue herbes and drugges and Physitians their being and efficacie but from that diuine hand No maruell then if Asaes gout strucke to his heart and his feet caried him to his graue since his heart was miscaried for the cure of his feet to an iniurious mis-confidence in the meanes with neglect of his Maker ELIJAH with the SAREPTAN WHo should be match with Moses in the hill of Tabor but Elijah Surely next after Moses there was neuer any Prophet of the old Testament more glorious then hee None more glorious none more obscure The other Prophets are not mentioned without the name of their Parent for the mutuall honour both of the father and the sonne Elijah as if he had beene a sonne of the earth comes forth with the bare mention of the place of his birth Meannesse of descent is no blocke in Gods way to the most honourable vocations It matters not whose sonne hee bee whom God will grace with his seruice In the greatest honours that humane nature is capable of God forgets our parents As when we shall be raised vp to a glorious life there shall be no respect had to the loines whence we came so it is proportionally in these spirirituall aduancements These ones were fit for an Elijah an Elijah was fit for them The eminentest Prophet is reserued for the corruptest age Israel had neuer such a King as Ahab for impiety neuer so miraculous a Prophet as Elijah This Elijah is addressed to this Ahab The God of Spirits knowes how to proportion men to the occasions and to raise vp to himselfe such witnesses as may be most able to conuince the world A milde Moses was for the low estate of afflicted Israel milde of spirit but mighty in wonders milde of spirit because he had to doe with a persecuted and yet a techy and peruerse people mighty in wonders because he had to doe with a Pharaoh A graue and holy Samuel was for the quiet consistence of Israel A fierie-spirited Elijah was for the desperatest declination of Israel and if in the late times of the depraued condition of his Church God haue raised vp some spirits that haue beene more warme and stirring then those of common mould wee cannot censure the choyce when we see the seruice The first word that we heare from Elijah is an oath and a threat to Ahab to Israel As the Lord God of Israel liueth before whom I stand there shall not be dew nor raine these yeares but according to my word Hee comes in like a Tempest who went out in a whirl-wind Doubtlesse he had spoken faire and peaceable inuitations to Israel though wee heare them not This was but the storme which followed his repulse their obstinacy After many solicitations and warnings Israel is stricken by the same tongue that had prayed for it Elijah dares auouch these iudgements to their head to Ahab I do not so much wonder at the boldnesse of Elijah as at his power Yea who so sees his power can no whit wonder at his boldnes How could he bee but bold to the face of a man who was thus powerful with God As if God had lent him the keyes of heauen to shut it vp and open it at pleasure hee can say There shall be neither dew nor raine these yeares but according to my word Oh God how farre it hath pleased thee to communicate thy selfe to a weake man What Angell could euer say thus Thy hand O Lord is not shortned Why art thou not thus maruellous in the ministers of thy Gospell Is it for that their miracles were ours Is it for that thou wouldst haue vs liue by faith not by sense Is it for that our taske is more spirituall and therefore more abstracted from bodily helpes we cannot command the Sunne with Ioshua nor the Thunder with Samuel nor the Raine with Elijah It shall content vs if we can fixe the Sunne of righteousnesse in the soule if wee can thunder out the iudgements of God against sinne if wee can water the earthen hearts of men with the former and latter raine of heauenly doctrine Elijahs mantle cannot make him forget his flesh whiles he knowes himselfe a Prophet he remembers to be a man hee doth not therefore arrogate his power as his owne but publisheth it as his masters This restraint must be according to his word and that word was from an higher mouth then his He spake from him by whom he sware whose word was as sure as his life and therfore he durst say As the Lord liueth there shall be no raine Man onely can denounce what God will execute which when it is once reuealed can no more faile then the Almighty himselfe He that had this interest and power in heauen what needed he flee from an earthly pursuit Could his prayers restraine the clouds and not hold the hands of flesh and blood Yet behold Elijah must flee from Ahab and hide him by the brooke Cherith The wisdome of God doth not thinke fit so to make a beaten path of miracles as that hee will not walke
nothing more dangerous for any state then to call in forraigne powers for the suppression of an home-bred enemie the remedy hath oft in this case proued worse then the disease Asa King of Iudah implores the ayde of Benhadad the Syrian against Baasha King of Israel That stranger hath good colour to set his foot in some out-skirt-townes of Israel and now these serue him but for the handsell of more Such sweetnesse doth that Edomite find in the soile of Israel that his ambition will not take vp with lesse then all He that entred as a Friend will proceed as a Conqueror and now aimes at no lesse then Samaria it selfe the heart the head of the ten Tribes There was no cause to hope for better successe of so perfidious a League with an Infidell Who can looke for other then warre when he sees Ahab and Iezebel in the Throne Israel in the groues and temples of Baalim The ambition of Benhadad was not so much guilty of this warre as the Idolatry of that wicked nation How can they expect peace from earth who doe wilfully fight against heauen Rather will the God of Hosts arme the brute the senselesse creatures against Israel then he will suffer their defiance vnreuenged Ahab and Benhadad are well matched an Idolatrous Israelite with a paganish Idumaean well may God plague each with other who meanes vengeance to them both Ahab finds himselfe hard pressed with the siege and therefore is glad to enter into treaties of peace Benhadad knowes his owne strength and offers insolent conditions Thy siluer and thy gold is mine thy wiues also and thy children euen the goodliest are mine It is a fearefull thing to be in the mercy of an enemy In case of hostility might will carue for it selfe Ahab now after the diusion of Iudah was but halfe a King Benhadad had two and thirthy Kings to attend him What equality was in this opposition Wisely doth Ahab therefore as a reed in a tempest stoop to this violent charge of so potent an enemy My Lord O King according to thy saying I am thine and all that I haue It is not for the ouer-powred to capitulate Weaknesse may not argue but yeeld Tyranny is but drawne on by submission and where it finds feare and deiection insulteth Benhadad not content with the soueraigntie of Ahabs goods cals for the possession Ahab had offred the Dominion with reseruation of his subordinate interest he will be a tributary so he may be an owner Benhadad imperiously besides the command cals for the propriety and suffers not the King of Israel to enioy those things at all which he would inioy but vnder the fauour of that predominancie Ouer-strained subiection turnes desperate if conditions bee imposed worse then death there needes no long disputation of the remedy The Elders of Israel whose share was proportionably in this danger hearten Ahab to a deniall which yet comes out so fearefully as that it appeares rather extorted by the peremptory indignation of the people then proceeding out of any generosity of his Spirit Neither doth he say I will not but I may not The proud Syrian who would haue taken it in foule scorne to bee denied though he had sent for all the heads of Israel snuffes vp the wind like a wilde Asse in the Wildernesse and brags and threats and sweares The gods doe so to me and more also if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfulls for all the people that follow me Not the men not the goods onely of Samaria shall bee caried away captiue but the very earth whereon it stands and this with how much ease No Souldier shall need to bee charged with more then an handfull to make a valley where the mother City of Israel once stood Oh vaine boaster In whom I know not whether pride or folly be more eminent Victorie is to bee atchieued not to bee sworne future euents are no matter of an oath Thy gods if they had beene might haue beene called as witnesses of thy intentions not of that successe whereof thou wouldst be the Author without them Thy gods can doe nothing to thee nothing for thee nothing for themselues all thine Aramites shall not cary away one corne of sand out of Israel except it bee vpon the soles of their feet in their shamefull flight It is well if they can cary backe those skins that they brought thither Let not him that girdeth on his harnesse boast himselfe as hee that putteth it off There is no cause to feare that man that trusts in himselfe Man may cast the dice of war but the disposition of them is of the Lord. Ahab was lewd but Benhadad was insolent If therefore Ahab shall be scourged with the rod of Benhadads feare Benhadad shall bee smitten with the sword of Ahabs reuenge Of all things God will not endure a presumptuous and selfe-confident vaunter after Elijahs flight and complaint yet a Prophet is addressed to Ahab Thus saith the Lord Hast thou seene all this great multitude behold I will deliuer it into thine hand this day and thou shalt know that I am the Lord Who can wonder enough at this vnweariable mercy of God After the fire and ruine fetcht miraculously from Heauen Ahab had promised much performed nothing yet againe will God blesse and solicit him with victory One of those Prophets whom hee persecuted to death shall comfort his deiection with the newes of deliuerance and triumph Had this great worke beene wrought without premonition either chance or Baal or the golden calues had caried away the thankes Before hand therefore shall Ahab know both the Author and the meanes of his victory God for the Author the two hundred thirty two yong men of the Princes for the meanes What are these for the Vant-gard and seuen thousand Israelite for the maine battell against the troupes of three thirty Kings and as many centuries of Syrians as Israel had single souldiers An equality of number had taken away the wonder of the euent but now the God of hoasts will be confessed in this issue not the valor of men How indifferent it is with thee O Lord to saue by many or by few to destroy many or few A world is no more to thee then a man how easie is it for thee to enable vs to be more then Conquerors ouer Principalities and Powers to subdue spirituall wickednesses to flesh and blood Through thee we can doe great things yea we can doe all things through thee that strengthnest vs Let not vs want faith we are sure there can bee no want in thy power or mercy There was nothing in Benhadads pauilions but drink and surfet and iollity as if wine should make way for blood Security is the certain vsher of destruction we neuer haue to much cause to feare as when we feare nothing This handful of Israel dares look out vpon the Prophets assurance to the vast host of Benhadad It is enough for that proud Pagan to sit
with thee is mercy and plentious redemption thine hand is open before our mouthes before our hearts If we did not see thee smile vpon suiters we durst not presse to thy footstoole Behold now we know that the King of heauen the God of Israel is a mercifull God Let vs put sackcloth vpon our loynes and strew ashes vpon our heads and goe meet the Lord God of Israel that he may saue our soules How well doth this habit become insolent and blasphemous Benhadad and his followers a rope and sackcloth A rope for a Crowne sackcloth for a robe Neither is there lesse change in the tongue Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue Euen now the King of Israel said to Benhadad My Lord O King I am thine Tell my Lord the King all that thou didst send for to thy seruant I will doe Now Benhadad sends to the King of Israel Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue Hee that was erewhile a Lord and King is now a seruant and he that was a seruant to the king of Syria is now his Lord he that would blow away all Israel in dust is now glad to beg for his own life at the doore of a despised enemy no courage is so haughty which the God of hosts cannot easily bring vnder what are mē or deuils in those almighty hāds The greater the deiection was the stronger was the motiue of commiseration That haltar pleaded for life and that plea for but a life stirred the bowels for fauour How readily did Ahab see in Benhadads sudden misery the image of the instability of all humane things and relents at the view of so deepe and passionate a submission Had not Benhadad said Thy seruant Ahab had neuer said My brother seldome euer was there losse in humility How much lesse can we feare disparagement in the annihilating of our selues before that infinite Maiestie The drowning man snatches at euery twig It is no maruell if the messengers of Benhadad catch hastilie at that last of grace and hold it fast Thy brother Benhadad Fauours are wont to draw on each other Kindnesses breed on themselues neither need wee any other perswasion to beneficence then from our owne acts Ahab cals for the King of Syria sets him in his owne Charet treats with him of an easie yet firme league giues him both his life and his Kingdome Neither is the Crowne of Syria sooner lost then recouered Onely hee that came a free Prince returnes tributarie Onely his traine is clipt too short for his wings an hundred twentie seuen thousand Syrians are abated of his Guard homeward Blasphemy hath escaped too well Ahab hath at once peace with Benhadad warre with God God proclaimes it by his Herald one of the sonnes of the Prophets not yet in his owne forme but disguised both in fashion and complaint It was a strange suit of a Prophet Smite me I pray thee Many a Prophet was smitten and would not neuer any but this wished to bee smitten The rest of his fellowes were glad to say Saue mee this onely sayes Smite me His honest neighbour out of loue and reuerence forbeares to strike There are too many thinkes hee that smite the Prophets though I refraine What wrong hast thou done that I should repay with blowes Hadst thou sued for a fauour I could not haue denyed thee now thou suest for thine hurt the deniall is a fauour Thus he thought but Charitie cannot excuse disobedience Had the man of God called for blowes vpon his owne head the refusall had beene iust and thanke-worthy but now that he sayes In the Word of the Lord Smite me this kindnesse is deadly Because thou hast not obeyed the voyce of the Lord behold assoone as thou art departed from me a Lyon shall slay thee It is not for vs to examine the charges of the Almighty Be they neuer so harsh or improbable if they bee once knowne for his there is no way but obedience or death Not to smite a Prophet when God commands is no lesse sinne then to smite a Prophet when God forbids It is the diuine precept or prohibition that either makes or aggrauates an euill And if the Israelite bee thus reuenged that smote not a Prophet what shall become of Ahab that smote not Benhadad Euery man is not thus indulgent an easie request will gaine blowes to a Prophet from the next hand yea and a wound in smiting I know not whether it were an harder taske for the Prophet to require a wound then for a well-meaning Israelite to giue it Both must bee done The Prophet hath what hee would what hee must will a sight of his owne blood and now disguised herewith and with ashes vpon his face hee way-layes the King of Israel and sadly complaines of himselfe in a reall parable for dismissing a Syrian prisoner deliuered to his hands vpon no lesse charge then his life and soone receiues sentence of death from his owne mouth Well was that wound bestowed that strucke Ahabs soule through the flesh of the Prophet The disguise is remoued The King sees not a souldier but a Seer and now finds that he hath vnawares passed sentence vpon himselfe There needs no other doome then from the lips of the offender Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Had not Ahab knowne the will of God concerning Benhadad that had beene mercy to an enemy which was now cruelty to himselfe to Israel His eares had heard of the blasphemies of that wicked tongue His eyes had seene God goe before him in the example of that reuenge No Prince can strike so deepe into his state as in not striking In priuate fauour there may bee publike vnmercifulnesse AHAB and NABOTH NAboth had a faire Vineyard It had beene better for him to haue had none His vineyard yeelded him the bitter Grapes of death Many a one hath beene sold to death by his lands and goods wealth hath beene a snare as to the soule so to the life Why doe wee call those goods which are many times the bane of the owner Naboths vineyard lay neere to the Court of Iezebel It had beene better for him it had beene planted in the wildernesse Doubtlesse this vicinity made it more commodious to the possessor but more enuious and vnsafe It was now the perpetuall obiect of an euill eye and stirred those desires which could neither be well denyed nor satisfied Eminency is still ioyned with perill obscuritie with peace There can bee no worse annoyance to an inheritance then the greatnesse of an euill neighbourhood Naboths vines stood too neere the smoake of Iezebels chimneys too much within the prospect of Ahabs window Now lately had the King of Israel beene twice victorious ouer the Syrians no sooner is he returned home then hee is ouercome with euill desires The foyle
Prophets yeeldance as for his owne life This was the way to offer violence to the Prophet of God to the God of that Prophet euen humble supplications Wee must deprecate that euill which wee would auoid if we would force blessings we must intreat them There is nothing to be gotten from God by strong hand any thing by suit The life of the Captaine is preserued Elijah is by the Angell commanded to goe downe with him speedily fearelesly The Prophet casts not with himselfe What safety can there be in this iourney I shall put my selfe into the hands of rude Souldiers and by them into the hands of an inraged King if he did not eagerly thirst after my blood hee had neuer sought it with so much losse But so soone as hee had a charge from the Angell hee walkes downe resolutely and as it were dares the dangers of so great an hostilitie Hee knew that the same God who had fought for him vpon the hill would not leaue him in the Valley hee knew that the Angell which bade him goe was guard enough against a world of enemies Faith knowes not how to feare and can as easily contemne the suggestion of perils as infidelitie can raise them The Prophet lookes boldly vpon the Court which doubtlesse was not a little disaffected to him and comes confidently into the bed-chamber of Ahaziah and sticks not to speake ouer the same words to his head which hee had sent him not long since by his first messengers Not one syllable will the Prophet abate of his errand It is not for an Herald of Heauen to be out of countenance or to mince ought of the most killing messages of his God Whether the inexpected confidence both of the man and of the speech amazed the sicke King of Israel or whether the feare of some present iudgement wherewith hee might suspect Elijah to come armed vpon any act of violence that should bee offered ouer-awed him or whether now at the last vpon the sight and hearing of this man of God the Kings heart began to relent and checke it selfe for that sinne for which hee was iustly reproued I know not but sure I am the Prophet goes away vntouched neither the furious purposes of Ahaziah nor the exasperations of a Iezebel can hurt that Prophet whom God hath intended to a fiery Chariot The hearts of Kings are not their owne Subiects are not so much in their hands as they are in their Makers How easily can God tame the fiercenesse of any creature and in the midst of their most heady careere stop them on the sudden and fetcht them vpon the knees of their humble submission It is good trusting God with the euents of his owne commands who can at pleasure either auert euils or improue them to good According to the word of the Prophet Ahaziah dies not two whole yeares doth hee sit in the Throne of Israel which hee now must yeeld in the want of children to his brother Wickednesse shortens his reigne he had too much of Ahab and Iezebel to expect the blessing either of length or prosperitie of gouernment As alwaies in the other so oft-times in this world doth God testifie his anger to wicked men Some liue long that they may aggrauate their iudgement others die soon that they may hasten it The Rapture of ELIJAH LOng and happily hath Elijah fought the wars of his God and now after his noble and glorious victories God will send him a Chariot of Triumph Not suddenly would God snatch away his Prophet without warning without expectation but acquaints him before-hand with the determination of his glory How full of heauenly ioy was the soule of Elijah whiles he foreknew and lookt for this instant happinesse With what contempt did he cast his eyes vpon that earth which he was now presently to leaue with what rauishment of an inward pleasure did hee looke vpon that heauen which he was to enioy For a meet fare-well to the earth Elijah will goe visit the schooles of the Prophets before his departure These were in his way Of any part of the earth they were nearest vnto Heauen In an holy progresse therefore hee walkes his last round from Gilgal neere Iordan to Bethel from Bethel to Iericho from Iericho to Iordan againe In all these sacred Colledges of Diuines he meant to leaue the legacie of his loue counsell confirmation blessing How happy a thing it is whiles we are vpon earth to improue our time gifts to the best behoofe of Gods Church And after the assurance of our owne blessednesse to helpe others to the same heauen But O God who can but wonder at the course of thy wise and powerfull administrations Euen in the midst of the degeneration and Idolatries of Israel hast thou reserued to thy selfe whole societies of holy Prophets and out of those sinfull and reuolted Tribes hast raised the two great miracles of Prophets Elijah and Elisha in an immediate succession Iudah it selfe vnder a religious Iehoshaphat yeelded not so eminent and cleerely illuminated spirits The mercy of our prouident God will neither be confined nor excluded neither confined to the places of publike profession nor excluded from the depraued Congregations of his owne people where hee hath loued he cannot easily be estranged Rather where sinne abounds his grace aboundeth much more and raiseth so much stronger helps as he sees the dangers greater Happy was Elisha in the attendance of so gracious a Master and the more happy that he knows it Faine would Elijah shake him off at Gilgal if not there at Bethel if not yet there at Iericho A priuate message on which Elijah must goe alone is pretended from the Lord Whether shall we say the Prophet did this for the tryall of the constant affection of his carefull and diligent seruant or that it was concealed from Elijah that his departure was reuealed to Elisha Perhaps hee that knew of his owne reception into heauen did not know what witnesses would bee allowed to that miraculous act and now his humble modesty affected a silent and vn-noted passage Euen Elisha knew something that was hid from his Master now vpon the threshold of heauen No meere creature was euer made of the whole counsell of the Highest Some things haue been disclosed to babes and nouices that haue been closed vp to the most wise and iudicious In naturall speculations the greater wit and deeper iudgement stil caries it but in the reuelations of God the fauour of his choice swayes all not the power of our apprehension The master may both command and intreat his seruants stay in vaine Elisha must bee pardoned this holy and zealous disobedience As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I will not leaue thee His master may be withdrawne from him he will not be withdrawne from his Master He knew that the blessing was at the parting and if he had diligently attended all his life and now slacked in the last act he had lost the reward
vnrepentance disabled him Perhaps he perswaded Iehoram to hold out the siege though through much hardnesse he foresaw the deliuerance In all this how hath Elisha forfeited his head All Israel did not afford an head so guiltlesse as this that was destined to slaughter This is the fashion of the world the lewd blames the innocent and will reuenge their owne sins vpon others vprightnesse In the midst of all this sad estate of Samaria and these stormes of Iehoram the Prophet sits quietly in his owne house amongst his holy Consorts bewailing no doubt both the sinnes and misery of their people and prophetically conferring of the issue when suddenly God reueales to him the bloody intent and message of Iehoram and he at once reueales it to his fellowes See yee how this sonne of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head Oh the vnimitable libertie of a Prophet The same God that shewed him his danger suggested his words He may be bold where wee must be awfull Stil is Naboths blood laid in Iehorams dish The foule fact of Ahab blemisheth his posterity and now when the sonne threats violence to the innocent murder is obiected to him as hereditary He that foresaw his owne perill prouides for his safety Shut the doore and hold him fast at the doore No man is bound to tender his throat to an vniust stroke This bloodie commission was preuented by a propheticall fore-sight The same eye that saw the executioner comming to smite him saw also the King hasting after him to stay the blow The Prophet had beene no other then guilty of his owne blood if hee had not reserued himselfe a while for the rescue of authority Oh the inconstancy of carnall hearts It was not long since Iehoram could say to Elisha My father shall I smite them now he is ready to smite him as an enemy whom he honoured as a father Yet againe his lippes had no sooner giuen sentence of death against the Prophet then his feet stirre to recall it It should seeme that Elisha vpon the challenges expostulations of Iehorams messenger had sent a perswasiue message to the King of Israel yet a while to wait patiently vpon God for his deliuerance The discontented Prince flies off in an impotent anger Behold this euill is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Oh the desperate resolutions of impatient mindes They haue stinted God both for his time and his measure if hee exceed either they either turne their backs vpon him or fly in his face The position was true the inference deadly All that euill was of the Lord they deserued it hee sent it What then It should haue been therefore argued Hee that sent it can remoue it I will wait vpon his mercy vnder whose iustice I suffer Impatience and distrust shall but aggrauate my iudgment It is the Lord let him doe what hee will But now to despaire because God is iust to defie mercy because it lingers to reiect God for correction it is a presumptuous madnesse an impious pettishnesse Yet in spight of all these prouocations both of King and people Elisha hath good newes for Iehoram Thus saith the Lord To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flowre be sold for a Shekel and two measures of Barly for a Shekell in the gate of Samaria Miserable Israel now sees an end of this hard triall One daies patience shall free them both of siege and famine Gods deliuerances may ouer-stay our expectation not the due period of his owne counsels Oh infinite mercy when man sayes No longer God sayes To morrow As if he would condescend where he might iudge and would please them who deserued nothing but punishment The word seemed not more comfortable then incredible A Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the man of God and said Behold if the Lord would make windowes in heauen might this thing be Prophesies before they be fulfilled are riddles no spirit can areed them but that by which they are deliuered It is a foolish and iniurious infidelity to question a possibility where wee know the message is Gods How easie is it for that omnipotent hand to effect those things which surpasse all the reach of humane conceit Had God intended a miraculous multiplication was it not as easie for him to increase the corne or meale of Samaria as the widowes oyle was it not as easie for him to giue plenty of victuals without opening the windowes of heauen as to giue plenty of water without wind or raine The Almighty hates to be distrusted This Peere of Israel shall rue his vnbeleefe Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shalt not eate thereof The sight shall be yeelded for conuiction the fruition shall bee denied for punishment Well is that man worthy to want the benefit which hee would not beleeue Who can pity to see Infidelity excluded from the blessings of earth from the glory of heauen How strange a choice doth God make of the Intelligencers of so happy a change Foure Lepers sit at the entring of the Gate they see nothing but death before them famine within the wals the enemy without The election is wofull at last they resolue vpon the lesser euill Famine is worse then the Syrian In the famine there is certaintie of perishing amongst the Syrians hazzard Perhaps the enemy may haue some pity hunger hath none and were the death equally certaine it were more easie to die by the sword then by famine vpon this deliberation they come downe into the Syrian campe to finde either speed of mercy or dispatch Their hunger would not giue them respite till morning By twi-light are they falne vpon the vttermost tents Behold there was no man They maruell at the silence and solitude they looke and listen the noise of their owne feet affrighted them their guilty hearts supplied the Syrians and expected fearfully those which were as fearefully fled How easily can the Almighty confound the power of the strong the policie of the wise God puts a Pannick terror into the hearts of the proud Syrians hee makes them heare a noise of charets and a noise of horses euen the noise of a great hoast They say one to another Loe the King of Israel hath hired against vs the Kings of the Hittites and the Kings of the Egyptians to come vpon vs they arise therefore in a confused rout and leauing all their substance behinde them flee for their liues Not long before Elishaes seruant saw charets and horses but heard none Now these Syrians heare charets and horses but see none That sight comforted his heart this sound dismaied theirs The Israelites heard no noise within the walls the Lepers heard no noise without the gates Only the Syrians heard this noise in their campe What a scorne doth God put vpon these presumptuous Aramites He will not vouchsafe to vse any substantiall stratagem against them nothing but an empty sound shall scatter them
on the Church of England 551 As of Apostacy 561 Notably confuted 562 The Brownists acknowledgment of the graces of the Church of England 563 Instances of their horrible railings 564 Their vnnaturalnesse ibid. and 565 What they think themselues beholding to the Church of England for 565 Our Church iustified by theÌ„ against their wills 552 And that in instancing some particular men whom they acknowledge Martyrs 573 The four pillars of Brownists 595 Their wronging of vs about Ceremonies 596 An eleuen crimes that they haue laid on the French and Dutch Church 601 Their imputation of our impure mixtures 604 Their scorne of our people 608 Buriall Of decent buriall 1326 Bush The burning Bush a perfect Embleme of the Church 870 Busie-bodies His Character 188 Buying A rule in buying and selling 697 C CAlfe Of the golden Calfe 899 Calling remedies against dulnesse in it 375 Honest men may not bee ashamed of their lawfull Callings 869 When God finds vs in our calling we shall finde him in his mercy 870 Grosse sinnes cannot preiudice the calling of God 900 The peoples assurance of the Ministers calling very materiall 927 The approbation of our calling is by the fruit ibid. An honest mans heart is where his calling is 1017 Neuer any calling of God was so conspicuous as not to find some opposites 1119 Our deuotions attended without neglect of our calling 1186 Diligence in our calling makes vs capable of blessednesse 1200 Cana The mariage in Cana. 1202 Canaan Of its Searchers 916 Cappucine prettily painted out 282 Carelesnesse Of an holy carelesnesse 64 Carnall A carnall heart cannot forgoe that wherein hee delights 1009 Cares Of taking cares on a mans selfe 48 Worldly cares fitly compared to thornes 142 Censure The conscionable somtimes too forward in censuring 1030 There must bee discretion there may not bee partialitie in our censures of the greatest 1063 Centurion Of the good Centurion 1205 His humilitie 1206 His faith 1207 Christ maruels at him ibid. Ceremonies some are typicall some of order and decencie 426 A passionate speech concerning our diuisions about ceremonies 426 427 Ceremonies must giue place to substance 1092 Challenges Whence they came 1081 Charitie vid. Loue not suspitious 1088 Cheerefulnesse an excitation to Christian cheerefulnesse 306 and in our labour 375 Nothing more acceptable then cheerefulnesse in the seruice of God 1028 Children an excellent child of an excellent parent a rare sight and why 135 What they owe their parents 242 A good note for children which couer their parents shame 828 It is both vncharitable iniurious to iudge of the childs dispositioÌ„ by the Father 867 Iepthâ—'s daughter a notable patterne for our children towards their parents 994 Childrens contempt of their parents for pottery censured 1025 Of our ouer loue to our children 1028 What children are most like to proue blessings 1031 A caueat for mocking children 1374 Christ his Annunciation 1164 Hee hath nothing in the whole work of our Redemption ordinarie 1162 No man may search into that wonder of his Conception 1166 Of his birth 1167 Of his lodging Cradle c. 1169 The vse of this his abasement ibid. how found of the Wise men 1172 Of his flight from Egypt and the vse of it 1177 His being among the Doctors 1185 His Baptisme 1 89 His temptation 1191 Hee is caried vp to a pinacle of the Temple 1195 Christian and Christianitie how a Christian should be both a Lambe and a Lyon 6 7. His happinesse 13 He is a little Church with n himselfe ibid. More difference betweene a naturall man and a right Christian then betwixt a man and a Beast 27 A wise Christian hath no enemies 47 An halfe Christian liues most miserably 62 A Christian compared to a Vine ibid. There is more in a Christian then any can see 66 A Christian man in all his wayes must haue three guides First Truth Secondly Charitie Thirdly Wisedome 137 Christianitie both an easie and hard yoake 143 The estate of a true though but a weake Christian 293 The difficultie of it 323 His description difference from a worldling 366 A conscionable Christian in sorrow sweetly described 493 Church That Churches happinesse wherein Truth and Peace meet together p. 6 A Christian is a little Church within himselfe p. 13 An excellent rule for our cariage in Church-dissentions 29 Church Schismes how bred fostered and confirmed 29 30 The needlesnesse of our conformitie to ancient Churches in all things 364 The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ 570 How it hath separated from Babylon 571 Why our Churches may stand 593 It is good coÌ„ming to Church for what end soeuer 870 The way to haue a blessing at home is to be deuout at Church 1031 What institutes a Church 1159 Cold When all hearts are cold and dead it is signe of an intended destruction 1059 Combats of single combats 338. 339 The censure of it 1120 Comforts the intermission of them what they doe 857 Commendations the commendation of diuers good men with the vse of imitation 287 Communitie care of it a signe of bâ—ing spirituall indeed 902 Companie the euill of euill company discyphered 2 What company we should delight in 4 A rule in choice of our companions 140 Company in sinne how it infects a sinner 901 And how it brings punishment on him 921 The intirenesse with wicked consorts is one of the strongest chaines of hell 931 Companie in the Church what it doth 1186 Compassion vide Mercy how it must be ruled 1103 Compellations sweet compellation how helpfull for the entertainment of good admonitions 956 Concord is the way to conquest 1136. vide Peace Concubine of the Leuites Concubine 1015 Confidence what maketh it 141 Described 226 A presumptuous confidence commonly goes bleeding home when as an humble feare returnes in triumph 1062 Confession how much it honors God 956 how he is pleased w th it 1009 Dauids confession 1142 Confession how hardly gotten out of vs. 1143 Conscience a good conscience keepes alwaies good cheere 46 The torment of an euill conscience 76 The ioy of such but dissembled ibid. The remedy of an vnquiet conscience 77 our peace of conscience comes by faith 78 79 The vaine shifts of the guilty conscience 79 Crosses a main enemy to the peace of conscience 80 A second ranke of enemies to peace of conscience 87 88 89. The Shipwracke of a good conscience is the casting away of all other excellencies 148 A wide conscience will swallow any sin 1006 Trust him in nothing that hath not a conscience of euery thing 1006 When we may look to haue rest to our Conscience 1031 A good conscience will make a man bold 1060 None can be sure of him that hath no conscience 1089 The power of conscience 1359 Conspiracy Corahs conspiracy 919 Constancy Of it 109 An encouragement vnto it 399 It must be like fire 911 One act is nought without constancy 919 Constâ—â—â—tion what it is 557 Constraint Whether constraint may haue place
tormented 1298 Euer doing mischiefe 1302 And delights in it 1303 Deuotion Of the deceit of deferring our deuotions on conceit of present vnfitnesse and its euill effect 29 An excellent meanes to stirre vs to deuotion 138 A direction how to conceiue of God in our deuotions and meditations 347 Of the Pharisees and Papists deuotion how farre exceeding ours 411 Miserable is the deuotion that troubleth vs in the performance 993 The morning fittest for deuotion 1044 Superstition is deuotions ape 1047 A good heart is easily wonne to deuotion 1052 Deuotion so attended as not to neglect our particular calling 1186 Difference No difference betweene seruants friends and sonnes with God 50 Diligence What and how profitable 222 Discretion In a good action how good 6. What it is and what it worketh 212 A good guide for zeale 968 Discontent Its Character 190 Discontented humor seldome scapes vnpunished 930 Discourse It is but the froth of wisedome 1271 Dishonestie It growes bold when it is countenanced by greatnesse 1139 Dissembler Of dissimulation foure kinds 218 Its craft 932 Dissimulation how clad 958 One degree of dissimulation drawes on another 1109 Dissention An excellent rule for our cariage in the dissentions of the Church 29 The cause of dissentions with the deuils ioy at them should make vs to cease from them 56 Dissention in Religion an insufficient motiue of vnsetlednesse in it 324 An earnest disswasion from dissention 413 414 Oh the miserie of ciuill dissention 1120 Dissolution Pretty things of it by way of comparison 464 465 Not to hasten our dissolution 968 Distrust It makes our dangers greater 917 Diuorce Concerning matter of diuorce in case of apparent adultery with aduice to the innocent party in that behalfe 328 Doctrine This and exhortation must goe together 54 Doubt Of the minde that neuer doubts and that euer doubts 1270 Dreames Of what vse of old and also euen now 50 Drunkennesse Its resemblance with Couetousnesse 8 Of Noahs drunkennesse 827 828 Drunkennesse the way to all beastiall affections 837 A drunkards stile 1030 A beast or a stone is as capable of instruction as a drunkard 1105 A drunkard may be any thing saue good 1140 Duell The first challenge of Duell whence 1081 The censure of Duels 1120 Dulnesse Remedies against dulnesse in our calling 375 E EArnestnesse What it doth in prayer 10 Earth It yeelds no content 12 A pretty vse of that that wee are earth 68 The earth is made onely for action not for fruition 939 Ease Good things seldome gotten with ease 5 Of enduring a false worship with ease 1011 Youth and ease let loose their appetites 1145 Education A complaint of the mis education of our Gentry 393 What education workes 867 Parents should haue both of them a like care of their childrens education 996 Education hath no lesse power to corrupt theÌ„ nature 1327 Egypt Its plagues 872 Eglon His reuerence in receiuing a message from God 972 Ehud and Eglon. 970 Elegance what without foundnesse 10 Elijah with the widow of Sarepta 1330 Of his tempestuous coÌ„ming in to Ahab ibid. Of his being fed by the Rauens 1331 His deeds with the Baalites 1335 His Heroicall spirit 1336 Of his running before Ahab flying from Iezebel 1340 His cordiall in his iourney 1344 Hee is reuenged on Ahab 1364. His rapture 1368 The happinesse of Elisha in attending him ibid. Elisha his happinesse in attending Elijah 1368 What he cared for 1370 He s aw his masters departure 1371 His healing the waters 1378 Cursing the children 1374 Releeuing the Kings 1374 Of his being with the Shunamite 1378 Of him and Naaman 1383 His raising the Iron blinding the Assyrians 1390 Elizabeth that Queene praised and of whom enuied in life and scorned after death 479 Ely of him and Hanaah 1030 His zealous breach of charitie ibid. Of him and his sons 1032 Wee read of no other fault that he had but indulgence 1034 His admirable faith 1035 Embassadors their names sacred 1135 Emptinesse as in nature so spiritually there ought to be no emptinesse 1 End Satans assaults are sorest at our end 63 The liues of most are mis-spent onely for want of a certaine end of their actions 147 The end commonly answerable to the way 1116 Enemie wee are so to God actiuely and passiuely 529 A good vse to be made of an enemy 868 If God be our enemy we shall bee sure of enemies enough 971 Euen all the creatures 531 872 and 929 A fearfull thing to bee at the mercy of an enemy 1351 Enterprises the vndertaking of great enterprises had need both of wisedome and courage 973 Enuie vide Malice a proud man is alwayes enuious euen to all 52 Enuy a sinne punishment 55 The enuious character 198 Its kinds and effects 219 Enuie curious 914 Enuie in a malicious man once conceiued what it brings forth 1029 Enuie is blind to all obiects saue to other mens happinesse 1087 An enuious brest a fit lodging for the euill spirit ibid. An example of enuies casting off shame 1088 Enuy like the Iaundies 1089 Error is coÌ„monly ioyned with cruelty 564 The false patrons for new errors compared to the Gibeonites 958 Esau â—e Contemplation on Esau and Iacob 843 Esteeme Two things make a man esteemed 5 Euill an euill man described 12 Not to bee euill when there are prouocations thereto is commendable 65 In euill how ready the deuill is to set vs forward 140 The not doing of euill is requited with good 865 The infection of euil is much worse then the act 920 Whether wee may doe euill that good may come therof 946 Euery Christian the better for his euils 1000 If we bee not as ready to suffer euill as to doe good wee are not fit for the consecration of God 1004 The abetting of euill is worse then the committing it 1019 It is one of the greatest praises of Gods goodnesse that hee can turne the euill of men to his owne glory 1055 Examples as the sins of great men are exemplary so are their punishments 937 Where the examples of the weake serue 1103 Exceptions there was neuer any of whom some tooke not exceptions 1058 Excellency Twelue things that are excellent to behold 136 Excesse it is neuer good but commonly with admirable faculties there are great infirmities 61 Excesse a great argument of folly 1105 Excuse none for sin 911 912. Exhortation Doctrine and exhortation must goe together 54 Expectation what it doth in a resolued mind 3 Extremity sudden extremity is a notable triall of faith 15 884 Extremitye distinguisheth friends 25 Nature is too subiect to extremities He that hath found God present in one extremity may trust him in the next 1081 Extremity of distresse will send the prophanest to God 1109 1110 Eye A faithfull man hath three eyes 1 Of Sense 2 Of Reason 3 Of Faith 34 How it betrayes the heart c. 956 Hee can neuer keepe couenant with God that cannot keepe his eyes 1138 How temptation is let
renuing the remembrance of Gods mercies 1093 Merit Concerning it 647 Method A false method the bane of many hopefull endeuours 279 Micha His idolatry 1009 Michaiah The Prophet commended 1362 c. His sentence by Ahab 1363 Michal her wyle 1088 Her scorne and end 1130 Mildnesse This and fortitude must lodge together as in Moses 915 Minde Of tranquilitie of minde p. 32 Of doing good with an ill minde 63 64 Minister A pretty description of a bold minister without abilities p. 5 Of much ostentation with little learning in a minister p. 5 An apologie for the mariage of Ministers 297 c. Of the ministers great charge 344 c. Whether a minister vpon conceit of insufficiency may forsake his calling 379 A ministers wisdome in taking his time to speake 474 The truth and warrant of the ministery of the Church of England 575 Certaine arguments against it ibid. The censure of such as think that they can goe to heauen without the ministery of the Word 694 Of the Church of England approuing an vnlearned minister 590 Whether ministers should endure themselues silenced 597 Of ministers mariage whether lawfull 717 c. A meanes to make the ministerie effectuall 870 A pretty picture of the ministers portion among a discontented people 875 A note for ministers in reprouing 915 An excellent example for a minister among a troublesome people 919 Flatterie in a minister what 920 The ministerie will not grace the Man but the Man must grace the ministery 922 The regard that should bee vnto the ministerie 925 1017 Ministers must not stand on their owne perils in the coÌ„mon causes of the Church 926 The lawfulnesse of a ministers calling a thing very materiall 927 The approbation of our calling is by the fruit ibid. The worlds little care of the ministers blessings 932 The honour that Heathen gaue to the Prophets vvill iudge or shame our times towards their ministers 935 A note for ministers not to goe beyond their warrant 940 Another note for to enduce ministers to mildnesse in their admonitions 956 A good ministers losse is better seene in his losse then presence 970 Holy ministers a signe of happy reconciliation with God 973 It is no putting of trust in those men that neglect Gods ministers 974 Of not caring for a ministers doctrine that is of an euil life 1000 The ministers pouerty is religions decay 1010 A pretty censure of the good cheape minister 1011 The withdrawing the ministers meanes is the way to the vtter desolation of the Church 1012 Minister Mercy how well fitting a minister 1016 Where no respect is giuen to the minister there is no religion 1017 If ministers be prophane who shall be religious 1028 The ministerie not free of vncleannesse 1033 No ministers vnholinesse should bring the seruice of God in dislike ibid. The sinnes of Teachers are the teachers of sinne 1061 He is no true Israelite that is not distressed in the want of a minister of a Samuel 1062 1063 For ministers to heare religion scorned and be silent is not patience but want of zeale 1130 An excellent note for ministers ibid. A note for yong ministers 1187 Ministers called Fishers 1201 Of niggardlinesse to our ministers 1271 Of all others the sinne of a minâ—ster shall not goe vnreuenged 1321 There is nothing wherein the Lord is more tender then in the approuing of the truth of his ministers 1335 The ministers message is now counted euill it vnpleasant 1361 The departure of a faithfull minister worthy our lamentation 1371 1372 Miracles concerning the miracles of our time 284 285 The desiring a miracle without a cause is a tempting of God 967 Miracles are not purposed to silence and obscurity 1369 Miriam Of Aaron and Miriam 913 Mischiefe they that seeke it for others fall into it themselues 1099 Mockers their sinne iudgement and end seene in Michol 1130 A caueat for mockers 1374 Modestie with that which is contrary to it 224 What Christian modesty teacheth 910 Those that passe its bounds grow shamelesse in their sinnes 938 Monument What is a mans best monument 12 Those monuments would God haue remaine in his Church which cary in them the most manifest euidences of that which they import 928 Motions good motions make but a thorow-fare in wicked mens hearts 874 875 Labouring minds are the best receptacles for good motions 1017 The foulest heart oft-times entertaines good motions 1089 The wicked are the worse for good motions 1091 Good motioÌ„s in wicked mens hearts what like 1106 Mourning of immoderate mourning for the dead 307 A pretty item in mourning for the dead 913 Moses Or his birth and breeding 866 His mothers affection sweetly described ibid. The Contemplations of his killing the Hebrew 867 His calling 869 The hand of Moses lifted vp 893 Of his Vaile 907 Of his modesty 910 Mildnesse fortitude how they meet together in him 914 Two patternes of his meeknesse 916 An admirable pithy speech of his to Israel at their desire of going backe to Egypt 918 Moses death 939 What an example of meekenesse hee was in his death 941 Multitude the successe of dealing with an obstinate multitude 919 A multitude is a beast of many heads 1303 Murmurers Gods mercy to them 887 Musicke what good it doth to Saul in his deiection 1079 N NAaman Of him and Elisha 1383 Nabal and Abagail 1102 His churlish answer to Dauids seruants 1105 Naboth Of him and Ahab 1356 His deniall of Ahabs request censured 1317 Name A mans good name once tainted what compared to 16 A good name worth the striuing for 60 Obseruations of a good name 135 Of significant names 1031 Naomi and Ruth 1022 Nathan Of him and Dauid 1141 Nature Naturall more difference betwixt a naturall man and a Christian a then betweene a man and a beast 27 How ready nature is to ouerturne all good purposes 143 Nature and grace described in Cain and Abel 817 Nature not content except it might be its own caruer 929 Necessitie It will make vs to seeke for that which our wantonnesse hath despised 921 922 None to bee contemned for their necessitie 1103 Neere When we come too neere to God 870 Neutralitie Wherein odious wherein commendable 139 Hatefull to God in matters of Religion 1337 New God makes new 466 Wee must bee made so too ibid. A reproofe of our new things ibid. Oâ— our New-yeares gifts to God ibid. Newes Ill newes doth either runne or fly 1036 Noble The character of one truely noble 178 Nourishment The power of it is not in the creature but in the Maker 996 Number Of Dauids numbring the people 1246 His sinne therein ibid. O OAth Of the oath of allegeance and iust suffering of those that haue refused it 342 Of the oath Ex officio 988 How sacred and vnuiolable an oath should be 947 Oaths for conditions of Peace whether bound to be kept if they be fraudulent 959 The sequel of a breaking an oath ibid. Euen a iust oath may be rashly
is his Oracle In matter of iudgement to be guided only by the euent is the way to error Falshood shall be truth and Satan an Angell of light if we follow this rule Euen very coniectures somtimes happen right A Prophet or Dreamer may giue a true signe or wonder and yet himselfe say Let vs goe after other gods A small thing can win credit with weake mindes which where they haue once sped cannot distrust The idolatrous Danites are so besotted with this successe that they will rather steale then want the gods of Micha and because the gods without the Priest can doe them lesse seruice then the Priest without the gods therefore they steale the Priest with the gods O miserable Israelites that could thinke that a god which could bee stolne that could looke for protection from that which could not keep it selfe from stealing which was won by their theft not their deuotion Could they worship those Idols more deuoutly then Micha that made them And if they could not protect their maker from robbery how shall they protect their theeues If it had beene the holy Arke of the true God how could they think it would blesse their violence or that it would abide to be translated by rapin and extortion Now their superstition hath made them mad vpon a god they must haue him by what meanes they care not though they offend the true God by stealing a false Sacriledge is fit to be the first seruice of an Idol The spies of Dan had been curteously entertained by Micha thus they reward his hospitality It is no trusting the honesty of Idolaters if they haue once cast off the true God whom will they respect It seems Leuites did not more want maintenance then Israel wanted Leuites Here was a Tribe of Israel without a spirituall guide The withdrawing of due meanes is the way to the vtter desolution of the Church Rare offrings make cold Altars There needed small force to draw this Leuite to change his charge Hold thy peace and come and be our father and Priest Whether is it better c. Here is not patience but ioy He that was won with ten shekels may be lost with eleuen When maintenance and honour calls him hee goes vndriuen and rather steales himselfe away then is stolne The Leuite had to many gods to make conscience of pleasing one There is nothing more inconstant then a Leuite that seeks nothing but himselfe Thus the wilde fire of Idolatry which lay before couched in the priuate ball of Micha now flies furiously thorow all the Tribe of Dan who like to theeues that haue carried away plaguy clothes insensibly infected themselues and their posterity to death Heresie and superstition haue small beginnings dangerous proceedings pernicious conclusions This contagion is like a canker which at the first is scarce visible afterward it eates away the flesh and consumes the body CONTEMPLATIONS THE ELEVENTH BOOKE CONTAINING The Leuites Concubine The desolation of Beniamin Naomi and Ruth Boaz and Ruth Anna and Peninna Anna and Eli. Eli and his sonnes By IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of Worcester AT LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE and NATHANIEL BVTTER Ann. Dom. 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR FVLKE GREVILL KNIGHT CHANCELOVR OF THE EXCHEQVER ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST HONOVRABLE PRIVY COVNCELLORS A MOST WISE LEARNED IVDICIOVS INGENVOVS CENCOR OF SCOLLERSHIP A WORTHY EXAMPLE OF BENEFACTORS TO LEARNING I. H. VVith his vnfained prayers for THE HAPPY SVCCESSE OF ALL HIS HONOVRABLE DESIGNEMENTS HVMBLY DEDICATES THIS MEANE PIECE OF HIS STVDIES CONTEMPLATIONS THE ELEVENTH BOOKE The Leuites Concubine THere is no complaint of a publikely disordered State where a Leuite is not at one end of it either as an agent or a patient In the Idolatrie of Micha and the Danites a Leuite was an actor In the violent vncleannesse of of Gibeah a Leuite suffers No Tribe shal sooner feele the want of gouernment then that of Leui. The law of God allowed the Leuite a wife humane conniuence a concubine neyther did the Iewish concubine differ from a wife but in some outward complements Both might challenge all the true essence of marriage so little was the difference that the father of the concubine is called the father in law to the Leuite Shee whom ill custom had of a wife made a concubine is now by her lust of a concubine made an harlot Her fornication together with the change of her bed hath changed her abode Perhaps her owne conscience thrust her out of doores perhaps the iust seuerity of her husband Dismission was too easie a penalty for that which God had sentenced with death She that had deserued to be abhorred of her husband seeks shelter frō her Father Why would her Father suffer his house to be defiled with an adultresse tho out of his own loynes Why did he not ra-say What Doost thou thinke to finde my house an harbor for thy sin Whiles thou wert a wife to thine husband thou wert a daughter to me Now thou art neyther Thou art not mine I gaue thee to thy husband Thou art not thy husbands thou hast betrayed his bed Thy filthinesse hath made thee thine owne and thine adulterers Goe seeke thine entertainement where thou hast lost thine honesty Thy lewdnesse hath brought a necessity of shame vpon thine abbettors How can I countenance thy person and abandon thy sinne I had rather be a iust man then a kinde Father Get thee home therefore to thy husband craue his forgiuenesse vpon thy knees redeeme his loue with thy modesty and obedience when his heart is once open to thee my doores shall not be shut In the meane time know I can be no Father to an harlot Indulgence of Parents is the refuge of vanity the bawd of wickednesse the bane of children How easily is that Theefe induced to steale that knowes his Receiuer When the lawlesnes of youth knowes where to finde pitty and toleration what mischiefe can it forbeare By how much better this Leuite was so much more iniurious was the Concubines sinne What husband would not haue said She is gone let shame and griefe goe with her I shall find one no lesse pleasing and more faithfull Or if it be not to much mercy in me to yeeld to a returne let her that hath offended seeke me What more direct way is there to a resolued loosenesse then to let her see I cannot want her The good nature of this Leuite cast off all these tearmes and now after foure months absence sends him to seeke for her that had runne away from her fidelity And now hee thinkes She sinned against me perhaps she hath repented perhaps shame and feare haue with-held her from returning perhaps she will be more loyall for her sinne If her importunity should win me halfe the thankes were lost but now my voluntary offer of fauour shall oblige her for euer Loue procures truer seruitude then necessity Mercy becomes well the heart of any man but most of a
Leuite He that had helped to offer so many sacrifices to God for the multitude of euery Israelites sinnes saw how proportionable it was that man should not hold one sinne vnpardonable He had serued at the Altar to no purpose if he whose trade was to sue for mercy had not at all learned to practise it And if the reflexion of mercy wrought this in a seruant what shall we expect from him whose essence is mercy O God we doe euery day breake the holy couenant of our loue We prostitute our selues to euery filthy tentation and then runne and hide our selues in our fathers house the world If thou didst not seeke vs vp we should neuer returne if thy gracious proffer did not preuent vs we should be vncapeable of forgiuenesse It were abundant goodnesse in thee to receiue vs when we should intreat thee but lo thou intreatest vs that we would receiue thee How should we now adore and imitate thy mercy sith there is more reason we should sue to each other then that thou shouldest sue to vs because we may as well offend as be offended I doe not see the womans father make any meanes for reconciliation but when remission came home to his dores no man could entertaine it more thankfully The nature of many men is froward to accept and negligent to sue for they can spend secret wishes vpon that which shall cost them no indeuour Great is the power of loue which can in a sort vndoe euils past if not for the act yet for the remembrance Where true affection was once conceiued it is easily pieced againe after the strongest interruption Heere needs no tedious recapitulation of wrongs no importunity of sute The vnkindnesses are forgotten their loue is renued and now the Leuite is not a stranger but a sonne By how much more willingly he came by so much more vnwillingly hee is dismissed The foure moneths absence of his daughter is answered with foure dayes feasting Neither was there so much ioy in the former wedding feast as in this because thē he deliuered his daughter intire now desperate then he found a sonne but now that sonne hath found his lost daughter and he found both The recouery of any good is far more pleasant then the continuance Little doe we know what euill is towards vs Now did this old man and this restored couple promise themselues all ioy and contentment after this vnkinde storme and said in themselues Now we begin to liue And now this feast which was meant for their new nuptialls proues her funerall Euen when we let our selues loosest to our pleasures the hand of God though inuisibly is writing bitter things against vs. Sith wee are not worthy to know it is wisedome to suspect the worst while it is least seene Sometimes it falls out that nothing is more iniurious then courtesie If this old man had thrust his sonne and daughter early out of dores they had auoyded this mischief now his louing importunity detaines them to their hurt and his owne repentance Such contentment doth sincere affection finde in the presence of those we loue that death it selfe hath no other name but departing The greatest comfort of our life is the fruition of friendship the dissolution whereof is the greatest paine of death As all earthly pleasures so this of loue is distasted with a necessity of leauing How worthy is that onely loue to take vp our hearts which is not open to any danger of interruption which shall out-liue the date euen of faith and hope and is as eternall as that God and those blessed spirits whom wee loue If we hang neuer so importunately vpon one anothers sleeues and shead flouds of teares to stop their way yet we must bee gone hence no occasion no force shall then remoue vs from our fathers house The Leuite is stayed beyond his time by importunity the motions whereof are boundlesse and infinite one day drawes on another neither is there any reason of this dayes stay which may not serue still for to morrow His resolution at last breakes thorow all those kinde hinderances rather will he venture a benighting then an vnnecessary delay It is a good hearing that the Leuite makes hast home An honest mans heart is where his calling is such a one when he is abroad is like a fish in the aire whereinto if it leape for recreation or necessity yet it soone returnes to his own element This charge by how much more sacred it is so much more attendance it expecteth Euen a day breakes square with the conscionable The Sunne is ready to lodge before them His seruant aduises him to shorten his iourney holding it more fit to trust an early Inne of the Iebusites then to the mercy of the night And if that counsell had been followed perhaps they which found Iebusites in Israel might haue found Israelites in Iebus No wise man can hold good counsell disparaged by the meannesse of the Author If we be glad to receiue any treasure from our seruant why not precious admonitions It was the zeale of this Leuite that shut him out of Iebus We will not lodge in the City of strangers The Iebusites were strangers in religion not strangers enough in their habitation The Leuite will not receiue common courtesie from those which were aliens from God though home-borne in the heart of Israel It is lawfull enough in tearmes of ciuility to deale with Infidels the earth is the Lords and we may enioy it in the right of the owner while we protest against the wrong of the vsurper yet the lesse communion with Gods enemies the more safety If there were another aire to breathe in from theirs another earth to tread vpon they should haue their own Those that affect a familiar intirenesse with Iebusites in conuersion in leagues of amity in matrimoniall contracts bewray eyther too much boldnesse or too little conscience He hath no bloud of an Israelite that delights to lodge in Iebus It was the fault of Israel that an heathenish Towne stood yet in the nauell of the Tribes and that Iebus was no sooner turned to Ierusalem Their lenity and neglect were guilty of this neighbourhood that now no man can passe from Bethleem Iuda to Mount Ephraim but by the City of Iebusites Seasonable iustice might preuent a thousand euils whic◠afterwards know no remedy but patience The way was not long betwixt Iebus and Gibeah for the Sun was stooping when the Leuite was ouer against the first and is but now declined when he comes to the other How his heart was lightned when he was entred into an Israelitish City and can thinke of nothing but hospitality rest security There is no perfume so sweet to a Traueller as his own smoake Both expactation and feare doe commonly disappoint vs for seldome euer doe we enioy the good we looke for or smart with a feared euill The poore Leuite could haue found but such entertainment with the Iebusites Whither are the
still and command amongst his cups To defile their fingers with the blood of so few seemed no mastery that act would bee inglorious on the part of the Victors More easily might they bring in three heads of dead enemies then one aliue Imperiously enough therefore doth this boaster out of his chaire of state and ease command Whether they be come out for peace take them aliue or whether they be come out for warre take them aliue There needs no more but Take them this field is won with a word Oh the vaine and ignorant presumptions of wretched men that will be reckoning without against their Maker Euery Israelite kils his man the Syrians flee and cannot runne away from death Benhadad and his Kings are more beholden to their horses then to their gods or themselues for life and safety else they had been either taken or slaine by those whom they commanded to be taken How easie is it for him that made the heart to fill it with terror and consternation euen where no feare is Those whom God hath destin'd to slaughter he will smite neither needs he any other enemy or executioner then what he findes in their owne bosome We are not the masters of our owne courage or feares both are put into vs by that ouer-ruling power that created vs Stay now O stay thou great King of Syria and take with thee those forgotten handfuls of the dust of Israel Thy gods will doe so to thee and more also if thy followers returne without their vowed burden Learne now of the despised King of Israel from henceforth not to sound the triumph before the battell not to boast thy selfe in the girding on of thine harnesse as in the putting off I heare not of either the publike thanksgiuing or amendment of Ahab Neither danger nor victory can change him from himselfe Benhadad and he though enemies agree in vnrepentance the one is no more moued with mercy then the other with iudgement Neither is God any changeling in his proceedings towards both his iudgement shall still follow the Syrian his mercy Israel Mercy both in fore-warning and redeliuering Ahab Iudgement in ouerthrowing Benhadad The Prophet of God comes againe and both foretels the intended re-encounter of the Syrian and aduises the care and preparation of Israel Goe strengthen thy selfe and marke and see what thou doest for at the returne of the yeare the King of Syria will come vp against thee God purposeth the deliuerance of Israel yet may not they neglect their fortifications The mercifull intentions of God towards them may not make them carelesse The industry and courage of the Israelites fall within the decree of their victory Security is the bane of good successe It is no contemning of a foyled enemie the shame of a former disgrace and miscariage whets his valor and sharpens it to reuenge No power is so dreadfull as that which is recollected from an ouerthrow The hostility against the Israel of God may sleepe but will hardly die If the Aramites sit still it is but till they be fully ready for an assault Time will shew that their cessation was onely for their aduantage neither is it otherwise with our spirituall aduersaries sometimes their onsets are intermitted they tempt not alwaies they alwaies hate vs their forbearance is not out of fauour but attendance of opportunitie happy are wee if out of a suspicion of their silence we can as busily prepare for their resistance as they doe for our impugnation As it is a shame to bee beaten so yet the shame is lesse by how much the victor is greater to mitigate the griefe and indignation of Benhadads foile his parasites ascribe it to gods not to men an humane power could no more haue vanquish't him then a diuine power could by him be resisted Their gods are gods of the hils Ignorant Syrians that name gods and confine them varying their deities according to situations They saw that Samaria whence they were repelled stood vpon the hill of Shemer They saw the Temple of Ierusalem stood vpon mount Sion they knew it vsuall with the Israelites to sacrifice in their high places and perhaps they had heard of Elijahs altar vpon mount Carmel and now they sottishly measure the effects of the power by the place of the worship as if he that was omnipotent on the hill were impotent in the Valley What doltish conceits doth blinde Paganisme frame to it selfe of a God-head As they haue many gods so finite euery region euery hill euery dale euery streame hath their seuerall gods and each so knowes his owne bounds that he dares not offer to incroach vpon the other or if he doe abuyes it with losse Who would thinke that so grosse blockishnesse should finde harbour in a reasonable soule A man doth not alter with his station He that wrestled strongly vpon the hill loseth not his force in the plaine all places finde him alike actiue alike valorous yet these barbarous Aramites shame not to imagine that of God which they would blush to affirme of their owne champions Superstition infatuates the heart out of measure neither is there any fancy so absurd or monstrous which credulous infidelity is not ready to entertaine with applause In how high scorne doth God take it to bee thus basely vnder-valued by rude heathen This very mis-opinion concerning the God of Israel shall cost the Syrians a shamefull and perfect destruction They may call a Counsell of War and lay their heads together and change their Kings into Captaines and their hills into valleyes but they shall finde more graues in the plaines then in the mountaines This very mes-prison of God shall make Ahab though he were more lewd victorious An hundred thousand Syrians shall fall in one day by those few hands of Israel And a dead wall in Aphek to whose shelter they fled shall reuenge God vpon the rest that remained The stones in the wall shall rather turne executioners then a blasphemous Aramite shall escape vnreuenged So much doth the iealous God hate to be robd of his glory euen by ignorant Pagans whose tongue might seeme no slander That proud head of Benhadad that spoke such big words of the dust of Israel and swore by his gods that hee would kill and conquer is now glad to hide it selfe in a blinde hole of Aphek and now in stead of questioning the power of the God of Israel is glad to heare of the mercy of the Kings of Israel Behold now wee haue heard that the Kings of the house of Israel are mercifull Kings Let vs I pray thee put sack-cloth on our loines and ropes on our heads and goe out to the King of Israel peraduenture he will saue thy life There can bee no more powerfull attractiue of humble submission then the intimation and conceit of mercy Wee doe at once feare and hate the inexorable This is it O Lord that allures vs to thy throne of grace the knowledge of the grace of that throne