all his fainting and falling yet hee was restored and receyued his story is an Ocean of mercy you shall find him somtimes doubting sometimes sinking sometimes distrusting sometimes denying so peremptorily and so blasphemously as if hee had beene reprobate Nay in the greatest misteries of our saluation Peter was possessed with a dead dull heauy drowsie sleepe Looke vpon him in the transfiguration Luke 9.32 Peter was a sleepe Looke vpon him in Christes Prayer Peter was a sleepe Mat. 26.39 Looke vpon him in the very howre of the power of darkenes when Christ was to be betrayed Peter was a sleepe Mar. â—3 34 In the Persecution of the Church when earnest prayer was made by all the Church for Peter Acts. 12.6 euen then also Peter was a sleepe And yet after all these slips and sleepes and falls and faults Peter is receyued to be Angelus terrestris Coelestis homo Magister Gentium Forma Martyrum Formido Daemonum Aug. de Temp. Indultor criminum Fons virtutum c. as Austen speaketh and to be though not Primas yet Primus Apostolorum but of all other that ingeminated Lamentation of his euen Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest Prophets and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together Luk. 22.31 as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings thou woulast not The passionate compassion that our Sauiour had ouer these Mat. 23.27 and so ouer all his is so infinite that no dimension in Arte no affection in nature no proportion in the Creature can expresse it O height of heauen depth of hell bredth of the world distance of the Poles loue of friends fathers mothers nurses they are but shadowes and semblances kennings not skannings of his fauour his mercies cannot be sufficiently descried or described they be the heads of Nilus riuers of Paradise springs of Lebanon fountaines of Hermon streams of Sion Iordan that maketh glad the City of God They be the Charter of heauen couenant of grace assurance of glory musicke to the eares splendor to the eye odour to the smell dainties for the taste pleasures for the sense and solace for the soule Misericordia Christi germinat ingeminat he giueth grace liberally multiplieth his grace giuen conseruing his grace multiplyed rewarding his grace conserued Out of this doubling and reiterating of the name Doctrine I obserue this doctrine that the Lord doth so much desire the repenting of a sinner that hee will vouch safe his seruants that fauour as to double his call and not at the first to proceed in iudgement against loitering and lingering conuerts Expectat torpentes inuiâ—at repugnantes he expecteth them that linger Austen inuiteth them that repugne stirreth them that loiter He calleth Saul 2. Samuel 3. his Spouse 4. Sodome shall haue some dayes 2. Sam. 3.4 Niniuie shall haue fortie dayes Ierusalem forty yeares There was a time when he did not call once nay for sinning once he punished for euer he thrust the Angels out of heauen for one sinne expelled Adam Paradise for one Apple stoned Achan for one wedge plagued Gehezi for one bribe Ananias for one dissembling Corah for one rebelling yet since to moue vs to repentance hath borne with sinners yeares and yeares after a thousand falls of weakenesse and wilfulnesse in thought in word in deed Euery thing in God is worthily to bee admired and wondered at but his mercy is to be embraced with amasednesse that he is merciful in so rich so deepe so long so broade so vnmeasurable a measure in so great so mighty manifold miraculous maner Hilary on the 144. Psalme hath a sweet saying to this purpose Hoc magnum est hoc mirum Hilary in 144. Psal this is an especiall thing in God this is mightily to bee wondred at in that mighty one not that hee made heauen because hee is powerfull nor that hee setled the earth because he is strength nor that he distinguished the yeare by starres because hee is wise not that he gaue man a soule because he is life not that he moueth the sea by ebbing and flowing because he is a Spirite but that he should be so mercifull who is so iust that he should so familiarly deale with vs who is a God Hoc mirum Hilary 144. Ps hoc magnum and all this onely to draw vs to repentance The vse of this to moue you to conuersion by the mercifull compassion of the Lord In the manifold care hee hath of carelesse man Vse hee hath drawne him out a way to walke This is the way walke in it and least the way should seeme darke and hard to be found hee hath giuen him a lanthorne and least he should faint in the way he hath placed a brooke in the way to refresh him that he may drinke of the brooke in the way This way is Conuersion Bernard which though it be via anfractuosa is not via infructuosa though a hard rough craggie way yet is it not an incommodious or a fruitlesse way but the vertues thereof are eternall life the world misconceiuing this way they vtterly refuse it they like not the pace because they must runne they like not the race because it is long they like not the passage because it is strait they like not the entrance because it is narrow they like not to clime they feare the hill they like not to sayle they feare the sea the way hard the race long the race running the passage straight the dore narrow the sea perilous the hill promontorious alas they cannot endure it and so they tire or retire with the thought of feare Hereby they loose the life of Saints and foreslow that holy conuersion and conuersation of the seruants of the Lord. O my beloued seeing the Lord is slow to anger and of great mercy draw neere to him by a true hearty speedy conuersion It is a speciall gift of God salue of sinnes hauen of sinners ioy of Angels terror of Diuels the new creation of the Soule the new life of the Saints a consumption yet not sickenesse a mortification and yet no death a compunction A Enigma Diumum yet scarsly sorrow a killing and yet a quickning a Crucifying and yet a Reuiuing It is an A Enigma wherin when we are borne wee are buried and when wee are quickned Hugo de Victor wee are killed and when we are mortified wee are raysed and when our old man is consumed our new life is consummated O that yee were all sicke of this Consumption that Prayer might bee your Physicke your Dyet might be fasting Compunction your blood letting your potion the teares of sorrowing faith your handmaid watching and good workes the signes of your recouering If yee were sicke of this Consumption it would be the means to bring health to your bodies happinesse to your Soules length to your liues life to your dayes for euermore it would be
pittied blood while I suffered sub iniustis pro iniustis cum iniustis sub niustis iudicibus iniustis causis Graeca Liturg iniustis poenis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the miseries needes anguishes scornes thorns whips nailes droppes teares clots streames of bloud that issued from me would not these serue It is obserued that Paul knew neither the voice nor the speaker for what had beene the sting that Paul had been toucht with if hee had knowne hee had persecuted Christ but he did persecute Christ for his seruants be his Church and the temples of the holy Ghost and they bee his members his Temples therefore his Church his members therefore his body The Doctrine Doctrine that he that doth violeÌ„tly persecute any of the seruaÌ„ts of the Lord doth persecute Christ himselfe I neede not to expatiate in the proofe of this those titles of seruants sonnes brethren children spouse branches of his vine sheepe of his fold members of his body sheweth sufficiently how dearely hee loueth them their profession Qui vos tangit me tangit hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye And my SOVERAIGNE interpreting this my Sauiours Text in his Megasine of Learning The Kings Maiesty his Booke to all Christian Princes that diuine and royall booke against Antichrist proueth hence that none that euer knew Scripture can deny but by Christ often is meant his saintes and seruants The vse of this Doctrine is to stand in feare of entring into the nuÌ„ber of the persecutors of Christ Vse the feare of sinne in Caine wandring the beastlines of sinne in Nebuchodonosor grasing the terror of sin in Balthazar trembling the shame of sinne in Haman hanging the punishment of sinne in Diues burning these are examples to astonish and deiect the greatest sinners but to an honest and religious soule that euer hath tasted of any part of the goodnes of the Lord this is the most potent reason to feare him that by sinne he doth persecute Christ hee doth crucifie againe the sonne of God When God in a Christians conscience cryeth within him why persecutest thou mee and yet hee continue in sinne so often and so long that his mind is neuer troubled his spirit neuer daunted his thoughtes neuer checked his soule neuer grieued O this is a wound and a grieuous wound from which the Lord for euer and euer deliuer vs. Lorizus obserueth out of the Legend that it is a receiued opinion among the Papists that whosoeuer is borne vpon the day of Saint Paules Conuersion shall euer bee free from any harme by venome and poyson I doubt not but it is a fable but I could wish that you that haue heard this calling of S. Paul at the time of his Conuersion would now bee conuerted that the poyson of wickednesse may neuer doe you hurt againe It is the labour of all that come hither and the Lord giue a blessing to their labours You haue receiued all kindes of exhortation and of instruction Aarons belles Moses rodde Esayes trumpet Ieremâ—es hammer Dauids harpe Salomons songes Ebals curses Geresims blessings Peter keyes Paules sword the milke of exhortation wine of compunction the oyle of consolation and the Water of regeneration What could yee haue desired more then yee haue receiued O let not all these arise in witnes against you let not the Lord continue his crie why persecute ye the Lord Semel loquutus est Dominus Paulus semper conuersus est Austen He spake but once to Paul Paul was a Conuert and by this one call conuerts many Churches O come yee not so oft to the Crosse to returne enemies to the Crosse of Christ And now to come to some Application for this place and presence and to omit the particular sinnes of our Nation the Pride of the Court vsury of the City Dissention in the Clergy oppression in Gentry disobedience in the Comminalty the lyes lusts oathes vncleannesse drunkennesse prophanenesse and wickednesse of all and of all sorts I will onely ayme at the two Monsters of this time Atheisme and Apostacy which doe bring and continue the ouer streaming sloud of Gods wrath vpon vs they are both Generall both fearefull the extent of my speech cannot say enough eyther of them or against them for Atheisme howsoeuer some Schoolemen distinguish that there is none that denyeth a God quoad omnipo entiam sed quoad prouidentiam yet I say our age and this your CITIE Lombard Zincbius affoordes such Diuels that neither confesse or care for the prouidence or omnipotencie of God who abound in the fulnesse of iniquity to whome nothing is accounted euill because nothing accounted good nothing can bee a sinne because nothing is a law the first Article of whose Creed is in profession that there is no God the second that the story of the Creation is a fable the mystery of the Incarnation fallible the doctrine of Redemption improbable of Election vnprofitable of Predestination vnavaileable of the Resurrection impossible The next that there is no Heauen no Hell adding the Corolary that if there bee a Hell and they must to it they hope that they shall not lacke Company O who can expresse the misery of such a hardened heart or who without a heart harder can choose but tremble at such a lamentable state O what can bee called Iudgement when nothing doth seare what can bee called Loue when nothing doth allure O what doth hee eyther hope or feare who acknowledgeth no Religion no Resurrection no Reprobation no Iudgement no Heauen nor Hell no God at all To these belong for euer all the curses vengeance woes fire brimstone storme tempest cuppes of Gods wrath dregges of his cuppes vials of the dreggs of desolation and damnation Mors sine morte sinis sine fine Greg. in Iob. numerus plagarum sine numero These bee Murtherers assacinats persecutors of Christ they stretch out his armes bow his necke pierce his side nayle his hands and imbrue his body with these blasphemous stripes and scourges Heauy O heauy is the sleepe of that Soule that is not awakened by these warnings Stony O stony is that heart that is not feared with these terrors The other grande persecutors of Christ PAPISTS bee the Papists and Apostates to Popery that bane and poison of Reason and Witchcraft of Religion that cuppe of Fornication that venome of Babylon wherein they maintaine that they may eate their God kill their king subuert the Scriptures adore Bones pray to Stones Deifie the Dead deserue Heauen contest with God and equalize their Popes with God Onuphrius Platina Benno c. Some whereof haue been Heretikes som Negromancers many blasphemers all Traytors O that euer any Soule purchased with the bloud of Christ should be so traduced their reason so blinded their vnderstanding so darkned and their saluation so endangered as to bee guilty of crucifying the sonne of God day by day and violently incurring his owne damnation The generall
Pithagericall Transanimation to bee come into some of those scandalous and slanderous Detractors of that most Noble Voyage Surely if the prayers of all good Christians preuayle the expectation of the wisest and noblest the knowledge of the most experimented and learnedst the relation of the best traueld and obseruantst be true it is like to be the most worthy Voyage that euer was effected by any Christian in descring any Country of the world both for the peace of the Entry for the plenty of the Countrey and for the Clymate Seeing that the Countrey is not vnlike to equalize though not Inata for gold which is not impossible yet Tyrus for colours Basan for woods Persia for oyles Arabia for Spices Spaine for silks Tharsis for shipping Netherlands for Fish Bononia for fruite and by tillage Babylon for Corne besides the aboundance of Mulberies Minerals mettals Pearles Gummes Grapes Deere Fowle drugges for Physicke hearbes for food rootes for colours ashes for Sope timber for building pasture for feeding riuers for fishing and whatsoeuer commodity England wanteth The Philosopher commendeth the Temperature the Marchant the commodity the Polititian the oportunity the Diuine the Pietie in conuerting so many thousand soules The Virginian desireth it and the Spaniard enuyeth vs and yet our own lasie drousie yet barking Countrimen traduce it who should honour it if it were but for the remembrance of that Virgine Queen of eternal memory who was first godmother to that land and Nation As also that VIRGINE Country may in time proue to vs the Barne of Britaine as Sicily was to Rome or the Garden of the world as was Thessaly or the Argosie of the world as is Germany And besides the future expectation the present encouragement is exceeding much in that it is a Voyage countenanced by our gracious King consulted on by the Oracles of the Councel aduentured in by our wisest and greatest Nobles and vndertaken by so worthy so honourable and religious a LORD and furthered not onely by many other parties of this Land both Cleargy and Laity but also by the willing liberall contribution of this Honourable City and as that thrice worthy Deane of Glocester D. Morton not long since remembred his Maiesty and his Nobles that it is a Voyage wherin euery Christian ought to set to his helping hand seeing the Angell of Virginia cryeth out to this land as the Angell of Macedonia did to Paul O come and helpe vs. There is a fearefull woe denounced against those that came not to assist Deborah Curse yee Meroz sayeth the Angell of the Lord Curse yee the inhabitants thereof Iudg 5. because they came not to helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mighty Whosoeuer they be that purposely withstand or confront this most Christian most Honourable Voyage let him read that place and feare Hath God called this land ad summum munus Apostolicū to that great worke of Apostleship that whereas this was one of the first parte of Christendome that receiued the Gospell so now it is the first part that euer Planted and Watered the Gospell in so great faire fruitfull a Countrie and shall Scepticall Humorists bee a meanes to keepe such an honour from vs such a blessing from them No my Beloued to the present assurance of great profite adde this future profite that whosoeuer hath a hand in this businesse shall receiue an vnspeakeable blessing for they that turne manie to righteousnesse Dan. 12. shall shine as the starres for euer and euer you will make Plutarches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenocus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sauadge country to become a sanctifyed Country you will obtaine their best commodities they will obtaine the sauing of their Soules you will enlarge the boundes of this Kingdome nay the bounds of heauen all the Angels that behold this if they reioyce so much at the conuersion of one Sinner O what will their ioy be at the conuersion of so many Goe on as yee haue begunne and the Lord shall bee with you goe and possesse the land it is a good land a land flowing with milke and honey God shall blesse you and those ends of the world shall honour him I will ende with one word of exhortation to this City many excellent thinges are spoken of thee as sometimes of the City of God Hither the Tribes come euen the Tribes of the Lord herein is the Seate of iudgement euen the seate of the house of Dauid Peace bee within thy walles plenteousnesse within thy Pallaces Yet remember how manyfold infections hence as from a fountaine haue issued out all the trickes of deceyuing the diuers lusts of filthy liuing the Pride of attire the cause of oppression gluttony in eating surfet in drinking and the generall disease of the fashions Lactant. 7. diuin Justit so that as Lactantius out of Sibilla prophesieth of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So may it be sayde of the Transformation of London It should be Ierusalem the City of God and it is become Murthers slaughter-house Thefts refuge Oppressions safety Whoredoms Stewes Vsuries Banke Vanities Stage abounding in all kind of filthinesse and prophanenesse O remember that sinnes haue beene the Pioners of the greatest Cities His Maiesties speech the 21. of May to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen at Greenewitch and haue not left one stone vpon another My Honourable L. Mayor I need not to remember you in this behalfe The last Sabaoth you receyued a Lesson though not from the Crosse yet frō the Crown by our royal Ecclesiastes practise that lesson both concerning the infection of the body and infection of the soule of this city remēber the charge your yeare must end and your life must end you must giue account of your Stewardship My Honorable Lords yee Reuerend Fathers of the Law your iudgement is the Harbenger to the greater iudgement Yee are Gods but yee shalt die like men as God hath honoured you Psal 82. so honour him in setting foorth of his glory in punishing of his enemies in countenancing of his seruants O my Lords if there were not negligence either in Spirituall or Temporall Iudges could there bee so many hundred Priests and Iesuites Locusts of the bottomlesse pit among vs and so many thousand Papisticall Apostates since the death of the late Queene of blessed Memory Remember to punish these and to proceed in iudgement against them lest God proceede in iudgement against you And not onely punish his Enemies but countenance yea and reuerence his seruants O looke vpon the deiected state of the royall Priesthood the Cleargy They seeke not their auncient honours their honour lyeth in the dust but it shall reuiue They seeke now but ordinary fauours It was a faithfull witnesse of a religious and good heart in one of the chiefest honourablest among you in the L. Bishop of Winchesters case that the contempt of the Cleargy My L. Cooke in his reports will bee the downefall of Religion had the Leuites in the Law their Priuiledges and haue the meanest Clarks in your law their priuiledges and shall the Cleargie be PROHIBITED theirs it is Gods cause not theirs and if God take it in hand all your Prohibitions wil not serue Remember then to countenance and reuerence his seruants All of you my Beloued heare the Summe of al feare God and keep his cōmandements let there be vnity and verity in you of the Cleargy iudgement and mercy in you of the Magistracy obedience and religion in you of the Comminalty You all know God is angry wrath is come out the Plague is begunne yea continued from yeare to yeare rideth progresse from Country to Country executeth iudgement vpon high and low and keepeth Court at this time within this City O serue the Lord in feare Kisse the sonne lest he be angry and so yee perish from the right way with true repentant sinners appease him with poore distressed wretches entreat him with Patriarkes and Prophets and Apostles belieue him with all his Saintes and seruants loue him with the holy Angels prayse him with Heauen Earth and all the Creatures duely and dutifully serue him which Grace the God of all Grace graunt vs all Amen FINIS
with dumbnesse Ananias and Saphira with deadnesse Iob. 31. and of this voice Iohs Epiphonema and acclamation serueth Quis poterit tonitruum magnitudinis illius intueri who can vnderstand the fearefulnesse oâ— his power or heare the voyce of his thunder The walles in Ierito could not stand the Câ—daâ— in Lâ—banus could not but shake he wildernes in Cadesh could not but tremble the Army at Mount Oliuet could not but fall the Auditory of S. Peter at Ierusalem neere stabde to the heart with this voyce and then how shall Paul a weake single simple abortiue birth but feare and tremble and becom terrified amased astonished at the Eccho of this voyce O It was a powerfull voyce the voyce that Iosephus speaketh of crying vox ab Oriente Joseph de bel Judai vox ab Occidente a voyce from the East a voyce from the West a voyce from the foure winds it was no more powerfull then this voyce and yet the voyce not so powerfull as mercifull it is vox suauiter fortis fortiter suauis S. Chrysostom obserueth Chrysost in Act. that they that came to betray Christ in the conuoy of Iudas and were stroken to the earth with Christ his words were now in the company of Paul when Paul was stroken to the earth by the words of Christ If it were so the miracle was the greater and their sin the greater but as my Sauior so my Text singleth out none but Saul and striketh Saul to the earth it was the heauiest fall and yet the happiest fall that euer any had it was his fall and his rising his funerall and his resurrection his buriall and his birth his killing and quickning I diuide the little body of this my Text into the forme and matter thereof Diuision The forme an Interrogation the matter Saules violence in persecution In the forme obserue first a question Secondy an Ingemination In the matter obserue first Soul persecuting Secondly Christ persecuted Thus be these wordes diuided that diuided the soule and the spirit and the ioynts and the marrow of Saul and of these in their order first of the question The Lord that in Deuteronomy is a Phisitian in Iob a Bonesetter Deu 32.39 Iob. 16.11 Esay 5.1 Ioh. 15.1 Luk 2.46 Mat 8.25 Mat. 2.30 Exod. 15.3 In Esay a Vine-dresser in Iohn a husbandman in Luke a moderator among the Doctors in Mathew a Pilot amidst the Flouds in Marke a Law-giuer among the Lawyers in Exodus a man of warre among the Armies Hee is here a Iustice to apprehend an Examiner to questionize with Saul Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He was in Esay a Prince of Peace and here is a Iustice of Peace though he was somtimes put out of the Commission of Peace to worke our Peace The Lord might without any expostulating haue powred downe vengeance vpon him and so he had neuer come to his answere hee might haue turned him into hell with all the people that forget God he might haue summoned out some punishment or other to haue serued the execution of wrath against Saul Psal 11. his arme is not shortened hee had his greatter armies and his lesser armies Ioel. 1. hee might haue sent out the least of his great ones or a great army of his least hee might haue sent the fire he vsed against the Sodomites or the Sunne with which he fought against the Ammonites or the starres wherewith he plagued the Cananites or the sea wherewith hee drowned the Aegyptians or the earth wherewith he swallowed the Murmurers or the Beares wherwith he deuoured the mockers but he taketh another Course he sendeth out no Out-lawrie before Saul come to his answere no castigation nay no expostulation but a milde and mercifull speach I should haue expected burning coales from his lippes coales of fire from his nostrils vials of wrath the furious seruants and serieants of indignation against such a rampant rauening wolfe a mercilesse Tyger an insatiat Tyrant spirans minarum caedis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 1. Chrysost breathing out threatnings shughter nay a murtherer oppressor blasphemer as hee confesseth himselfe Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Correction Moderation in Reproofe Compassion The Doctrine that the Lord is slow to anger and in his indignation ready to show compassion Doctrine when the Lord in Micah had called a congregation of the Mountaines to heare his quarrell as in Esay a conuocation of heauen and earth men and Angels to be witnesse against his people Mich. 6. yet heare what his speech was O my people what haue I done vnto thee or wherin haue I grieued thee Esay 1. testifie against me no threatning no cursing no fire or brimstone storme or tempest O popule mi quid fecitibi When his Prophet Ionas had fled from his presence and rebelled against him not onely in flying but in murmuring and fuming fretting in a querulous contumacious contumelious contesting with God God relpyeth onely this Doest thou well to bee angry Hee raged that God would not destroy Niniuie a great and glorious spatious populous City the Lady of the East Queene of the Nations Metropâ—lis of Assâ—ria beauty of the world that had so many 10000. noble rich honourable inhabitants besides Infants and Innocents and Ionas to bee angry to the death that Niniuie was not destroyed and afterwards that a Guord Ion. 4.9 a weake creeping sprowting fading guorde of no contiâ—â—â—nce springing in one night dying in the other and yet that Ionas againe is angry with God very angry euen to the death for the death of this Guord and Gods reply vnto him is onely this Ionas doest thou well to bee angry Saul heere that had his hand in so many murthers in so many bloody tragicall barbarous executions against whome the bloud of the Martyrs cryed for vengeance yet God mercifully and fauourably in as kind and as familiar sort with as much indulgence as if the Spirit of Eli or the soft voyce in Elias had spoken Saul Saul why persecutest thou me If Iohn Baptist speake to the Pharisies he cryeth out O generation of vipers If Peter to Ananias and Saphira why hath Sathan filled thy heart to lie Mat. 3.3 Acts. 5.10 Acts. 13.10 why haue yee agreed to tempt the spirite of God he striketh them dead If Paul to Elimas the Sorcerer O thou full of all subtlety and mischiefe the child of the Deuill Acts. 7.5 and enemy of righteousnesse If Stephen to the Iewes O yee of stiffe necked hearts and eares Nay seruants with their fellow seruantes Brethren with their Brethren that had the same Commission and profession tyed by all the bonds of nature and grace yet in their writings and speeches there haue been bitter inuectiues contestings and withstandings to the face Paul and Barnabas Cyprian and Cornelius Origen and African Chrysostome and Theophilus Ruffinns and Ierome Ierome and Austine Austine and Symplician Frosper and Hilary Gregory
a meanes you would liue more religiously loue the Lord more sincerely serue him more obediently tender his glory more deerely heare his word more carefully practise it more conscionably pray more deuoutely beleeue more faithfully professe more fruitfully which the Lord in mercy increase for euer in vs and so I come to my second generall part and therein first of the Person persecuting Saul And here first of all 2. Part. if ye Catechise Saul with what is thy name or discharge such a peale of Gunne-shot vpon him as the Mariners did vpon Ionas Ionas ◠what art thou whence camest thou what is thy name thy people thy trade You shall receiue answere out of his own words hee is an Hebrew of the Hebrewes an Israelite of the Israelites of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Bentamin by birth a Iew. by Priuiledge a Romane by sect a Pharisie by zeale a Persecutor his personall aduantages prerogatiues dignities excellencies of profession aemulation conuersation wonderfull none euer had greater endowments and blessings of Nature then Saul It is a worthy obseruation vpon that comitiall exercise had betweene Stephen and his Aduersaries Sigonius Lorin in 7. Act. that there were some of all the world Opponents and Opposites in that Disputation and Persecution of Stephen out of Europe Romanes out of Affricke Alexandrians out of Asia Cilicians and of all these out of all the parts of the world that were then knowne and out of all those Nations reckoned there was none Acts. 2.3 more violent for strength more virulent for sting more zealous in profession more powerfull in prosecution more Tragicall and tyranicall in execution then Saul he wasted the Church dispersed the Disciples destroyed the christians magna insania imo vesania saieth Chrysostome quod in domos ingrediebatur Chrysost quod nec mulieribus parcebat Hee followed Christians not onely from the Synagogue into the streetes but from the streetes into the houses their owne houses violently inhumanely drew out euen the women vnto their death Hee was a Saul indeed nay a Sheol a very Hell Lombard as Peter Lombard out of the Nature of the Originall obserueth or Shaul as others obserue Lorin in 9. Act. Excitatus a Demone ad persequendum Ecclesiam stirred vp by the Deuill to persecute the Church He was a Wolfe among the Lambes a Beare among the Saintes a Lion ramping and roaring for his pray nay put together the wilines of a Fox strength of a Lyon sting of a Serpent Saenity of a Wolfe the Sauadge madnesse of Beares Boares Leopards Tygers Crocodiles for by all these in Scripture the wicked are described they were all in Saul his ZEALE had fiered him and therefore he sayth of himselfe by zeale I persecuted the church of God so that Christ speaking to him now crying Saul Saul meaneth zeale Zeale why persecutest thou me Is it possible that a sweete grape should bee so sowre that poyson should infe such a fountaine of life that such an endowment should deserue such a punishment such a blessing proue such a curse the heate of the spirit should be as hel fire The glorious lustrous splendor of the Sun should be Cymerian Egyptian darkenesse and make a man a dogge a Christian a Deuill It is it is behold one for example for all Saul his spurre of zeale proued a sting a piercing poysoning enuenoming assacinating sting by zeale hee persecuted the Church of God I am sure true zeale is the true seale of the holy Ghost it is the Leaxen that leaueneth the whole lumpe it is the graine of Mustardseed the sparke of fire the fire of the Temple the measure of the Tabernacle the Cubit of the Sanctuarie the beacon of Mount Sion and yet zeale hath markt Saul a persecutor oppressor maligner blasphemer of God his Gospell I know the Kingdome of Heauen must suffer violence Iacob obtained by wresling Dauid by running Paul by endeauoring the Wise Virgins by watching Austen the good seruants by working vis intrare in regnū coelorum wilt thou enter into Heauen violentus esto be violent sayeth Austen nay sayth Christ the King of Heauen suffereth violence But yet not a more hasty then warie violence for as S. Bernard speaketh Et feruor discretionem erigat discretio feruorem dirigat zeale must stir vp discretion Berna d. discretion must direct zeale As the hope of a Christian so the zeale of a Christian is as Susanna betweene two Adulterers as Vertue between two extreames as In ocency betweene two Tirants Hercules betweene two Serpents the graine betweene two Milstones blind Ignorance on the one side proud Insolence on the other side a blind zeale a proud zeale the one superstitious the other supercilious The zeale of a Christian must be as Christ was before hee came from heauen hee was in the midst of Angels in the Cratch hee was in the midst of creatures In the temple in the midst of the Doctors In the transfiguration in the midst of the Prophetes and Apostles In the Crosse in the midst of the theeues In the resurrection in the midst of his Disciples In the comming to iudgement in the midst of the elect and reprobate Lambes on the one hand Goates on the other semper in medio quia medium semper medium qui a mediator Non in omnibus quadrat similitudo Bernard as Austen spake in the like August con Don. but let zeale euer goe in the middest saile in the middest passe in the middest let diligence raise vp negligence be not cold let moderation rule the passion be not to hote not bewitcht with fiery fury as Saul was as that Sauls zeale should persecute Christ The Doctrine hence is Doctrine that euery Christian let moderation gouerne the sterne of his violent opinion or else his zeale is abhominable before God the Prayer of the reprobate is abhominable the Faith of the Hipocrite is abhominable the zeale of the fiery obstinate is abhominable In the Law they must bring no sacrifice without salt zeale is that salt they must bring no sacrifice without an eye discretion is that eye no vnseasoned sacrifice no seruice without zeale no blind sacrifice no zeale without discretion Rom. 12. The Apostle Paul directeth to Wisedome Be wise there is the Spurre zeale but according to Sobriety there is the bridle discretion The Disciples were commended for their duety in following Christ There is zeale but they were condemned for their zeale when they prayed for vengeance there wanted discretion The Iewes were commaunded to gather Manna there is a portion of zeale but neither too much nor too little there is the proportion of discretion The holy Ghost descended with fire there is zeale but with a wind also that cooleth fire there is discretion Let zeale bee like to Moyses and Phineas Ambrose Moses for mildnesse Phineas for feruencie there is a Seraphicall zeale like to that in E.
Apostacy from the true profession vnto his Soules confusion who liueth and seeth not who seeth and lamenteth not Pitty O for euer pitty that ingenuous generous worthy Spirites should be so blindly led by those children of darkenesse the Priestes and Iesuites among vs. O Beloued stoppe your eyes and eares and solemnly vow to God that you will for euer euen to the death resist these charmes and incantations of those men of sinne Let them vrge what euer they can all is false their antiquity wherein their claime is false yet the Diuell is more ancient then they or their Learning which is also a false claime yet the Pharisies more learned then they or their good works which is also a false claime yet the Hypocrite in Micah is more glorious then they Micah 6.8 or their miracles which are also false yet the Diuell the Angell of light is more powerfull then they or their blasphemies murthers treasons barbarous conspiracies wherein I confesse the Deuill is scarse more aboundant then they and when all these things are described if then they be not found to bee bewitcht to bee enemies to the Crosse of Christ to crucifie againe the Lord of life and to persecute as Saul heere did then burne the Oracles of the Prophets and Apostles pull downe your Churches and Temples professe that Christs merites doe not suffice or rather deny that there was a Christ Let it be the common slaunder of our discontented Runnagates beyond seas Higgons the runnagate against D. Morton casting base aspersions vpon the strong men of our Israel the Reuerend Bishops and worthy Doctors that haue laboured against the common Aduersary Let it be their diuelish calumnie that they doe it only to serue the time and to attaine their preferment But let neuer so hellish vncharitable a thought come into any of your soules as that so many wise indicious religious absolutely learned Fathers should euer dissemble with their God If euer any such should bee found let that curse of Iudas fall vpon him let his place be voyd and let another take his roome let his children be vagabonds and his seed begging their bread let his habitation bee a dwelling for Foxes But if it be found that they deale sincerely as in the sight of the all-seeing God and that vpon the feare of the losse of body and soule if they should beguile you O then heare them and belieue them for with them are the words of eternall life Paul had a Commission to goe to persecute I haue by Saul receiued a Commission to enquire of those that doe persecute And therefore leauing these two Monsters let vs briefly descend to examine some persons and let all of you now enter into due examination whether any of you haue persecuted Christ or no If there bee among you a common Drunkard a common Vsurer a common Swearer a common lewd liuer a common hinderer and slaunderer of Gods word know thou that thou art a Saul thou doest persecute Christ If there bee an Atheisticall Degge that doth reuile the Messengers of God with base and scandalous slanderous aspersions abusing and abasing scornefully that Reuerend and Honourable Title of PRIEST Know that if thou haue not part in the Priesthood here thou shalt haue none in the Kingdom there in that thou dost it to the least of these thou doest it to Christ thou art a Saul thou doest persecute Christ If there bee any one that viper-like hath eaten out his birth building vpon the ruines of broken poore Citizens eating vp his Brethren like bread the stone out of the wall shal cry against thee and know it that thy house is Golgotha the place of dead mens skuls and thy possession is Acheldema the fielde of bloud The bread thou eatest is the flesh of man the wine thou drinkest is the bloud of man thou art a Canibal thou art a Saul thou doest persecute Christ If there be any amongst your men of Traffique that euer haue afforded any Engines of Artillery to that great enemy of Christ and Christians the Turke thereby to worke the massacre of Christians and effusion of their bloud know it that that bloud doth crie against thee thou art a Saul thou dost persecute Christ any thou art a Iudas thou dost betray Christ If there be any among you that may deserue the stile of a quarrelling querulous litigious wrangler and spend the greatest time of his life in Law like that Triuultius in Millaine of whome this Epitaph was made Qui nun quam quicuit hic quieuit hee that neuer rested nor let any others here he rests If there be any such know thou art a Saul thou dost persecute Christ If there bee any such that haue engrosed the liuings of the Church to make a common sale of Soules hereafter Simoniacally to sell that which the Kings of this Land so many yeeres haue giuen Let them beware for though the Diuel plead for them by Scripture that they haue not freely receiued and therefore not freely to giue them Let them remember that though the Cleargy must labour yet buy they must not and to begge they are ashamed Let them know they are sacrilegious Balthazirs and the gold they receiue shall be aurum Tolesanum it shall bring a curse vpon them Erasmus Adag their families and posterities they are like bloody Saul to whome Christ speaketh Saul Saul why persecutest thou me If there bee any such Lawyers that vndertake any vniust and false causes or proterminate their Clients as Innocentius obserued Nec terminantur negotia Jano de vita hum Conditi donec euacuat a marsupia and neuer suffer their causes to be ended vntill their purses bee consumed Aelian Var hist lib. 9. cap. 18. which made Themistocles so sharply to censure the Law that if two waies were shewed him the one going to Hell the other to the Barre hee would sooner take the way that leadeth to Hell If there bee any such vnconscionable Lawyer let him know he is a Saul he doth persecute Christ If there bee any that haue opposed any action intended to the glory of God and sauing of soules and haue stayed the happy proceeding in any such motion let him know that he is a persecuter and an aduersary of Christ Plutarch The Drones that lie at home traducing honourable ende auours of these abroad are to be expelled the common wealth In which Quaere giue me leaue to examine the lying speeches that haue iniuriously vilified and traduced a great part of the glory of God the honour of our Land ioy of our Nation and expectation of many wise and Noble Senators of this kingdom I mean in the Plantation of VIRGINIA When the descry of the Indians was offered to that learned and famous Prince Henry the seuenth Some idle dull and vnworthy Sceptickes moued the King not to entertaine the motion Wee know our losse by the Spaniards gaine but now the Soules of those Dreamers doe seeme by a