counterfait Samuel he had not beene strook downe on the ground with words Now his beleefe made him desperate Those actions which are not sustained by hope must needs languish and are only promoted by outward compulsion Whiles the minde is vncertaine of successe it relieues it selfe with the possibilities of good in doubts there is a comfortable mixture but when it is assured of the worst euent it is vtterly discouraged and deiected It hath therefore pleased the wisdome of God to hide from wicked men his determination of their finall estate that their remainders of hope may harten them to good In all likelyhood on selfe-same day saw Dauid a victor ouer the Amalakites and Saul discomfited by the Philistims How should it bee otherwise Dauid consulted with God and preuailed Saul with the Witch of Endor and perisheth The end is commonly answerable to the way It is an idle iniustice when we do ill to look to speed well The slaughter of Saul and his sonnes was not in the first scene of this Tragicall field that was rather reserued by God for the last act that Saules measure might be full God is long ere he strikes but when he doth it is to purpose First Israel flees and falls downe wounded in mount Gilboa They had their part in Sauls sinne they were actors in Dauids persecution Iustly therfore doe they suffer with him whom they had seconded in offence As it is hard to be good vnder an euill Prince so it is as rare not to be enwrapped in his iudgements It was no small addition to the anguish of Sauls death to see his sonnes dead to see his people fleeing and slaine before him They had sinned in their King and in them is their King punished The rest were not so worthy of pittie but whose heart would it not touch to see Ionathan the good Sonne of a wicked Father inuolued in the common destruction Death is not partiall All dispositions all merits are alike to it If valour if holines if syncerity of heart could haue beene any defence against mortality Ionathan had suruiued Now by their wounds and death no man can discerne which is Ionathan The soule only findes the difference which the body admitteth not Death is the cōmon gate both to heauen and hell we all passe that ere our turning to either hand The sword of the Philistims fetcheth Ionathan through it with his fellowes no sooner is his foot ouer that threshold then God conducteth him to glory The best cannot bee happy but through their dissolution Now therefore hath Ionathan no cause of complaint he is by the rude and cruel hand of a Philistim but remoued to a better Kingdome then hee leaues to his brother and at once is his death both a temporall affliction to the Sonne of Saul and an entrance of glory to the frend of Dauid The Philistim-archers shot at random God directs their arrowes into the body of Saul Least the discomfiture of his people and the slaughter of his sonnes should not bee griefe enough to him hee feeles himselfe wounded and sees nothing before him but horror and death and now as a man forsaken of all hopes hee begs of his armor-bearer that deaths-blow which els he must to the doubling of his indignation receiue from a Philistim Hee begs this bloody fauour of his seruant and is denyed Such an awefulnes hath God placed in soueraigntie that no intreaty no extremity can moue the hand against it What mettall are those men made of that can suggest or resolue and attempt the violation of maiesty Wicked men care more for the shame of the world then the danger of their soule Desperate Saul will now supply his armor-bearer and as a man that bore armes against himselfe hee falls vpon his owne sword What if he had dyed by the weapon of a Philistim So did his Son Ionathan and lost no glory These conceites of disreputation preuaile with carnall hearts aboue all spirituall respects There is no greater murderer then vain-glory Nothing more argues an heart voyd of grace then to be transported by ydle popularity into actions preiudiciall to the Soule Euill examples especially of the great neuer escaped imitation the armour-bearer of Saul followes his master and dares do that to himselfe which to his King he durst not as if their owne swords had beene more familiar executioners they yelded vnto them what they grudged to their pursuers From the beginning was Saul euer his owne enemy neither did any hands hurt him but his owne and now his death is sutable to his life his owne hand payes him the reward of all his wickednesse The end of hypocrites and enuious men is commonly fearefull Now is the blood of Gods Priests which Saul shed and of Dauid which he would haue shed required requited The euil spirit had said the euening before To morrow thou shalt be with mee and now Saul hasteth to make the diuell no lyer rather then fayle he giues himselfe his own mittimus Oh the wofull extremities of a dispayring Soule plundging him euer into a greater mischiefe to auoyd the lesse Hee might haue beene a patient in anothers violence and faultlesse now whiles hee will needs act the Philistims part vpon himselfe hee liued and dyed a murderer The case is deadly when the prisoner breakes the Iayle and will not stay for his deliuery though wee may not passe sentence vpon such a Soule yet vpon the fact we may the Soule may possibly repent in the parting the act is haynous and such as without repentance kills the Soule It was the next day ere the Philistims knew how much they were victors then finding the dead corpes 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 sinnes then their Gods they had neuer carryed away the honor of those trophees In steed of magnifying the iustice of the true God who punished Saul with deserued death they magnifie the power of the false Superstition is extemely iniurious to God It is no better then 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 offered to his dead corps that they will rather leaue their owne bones amongst the Philistims then the carcasse of Saul Such a close relation there is betwixt a Prince and subiect that the dishonor of either is inseparable from both How willing should wee bee to hazard our bodyes or substance fo the vindication either of the person or name of a good King whiles he liues to the benefit of our protection It is an vniust ingratitude in those men which can endure the disgrace of
Princes to giue both their eares and their heart to misgrounded rumors of their innocent followers This wrong hath stript Ishbosheth of the Kingdome Abner in the meane time cannot be excused from a trecherous inconstancy If Sauls son had no true title to the Crowne why did he maintaine it If hee had why did hee forsake the cause and person Had Abner out of remorse for furthering a false claime taken off his hand I know not wherein hee could be blamed except for not doing it sooner But now to withdraw his professed allegegeance vpon a priuate reuenge was to take a lewd leaue of an ill action If Ishbosheth were his lawfull Prince no iniury could warrant a reuolt Euen betwixt priuate persons a returne of wrongs is both vncharitable and vniust how euer this goe currant for the common justice of the world how much more should we learn from a supreme hand to take hard measures with thankes It had been Abuers duty to haue giuen his King a peaceable and humble satisfaction and not to fly out in a snuffe If the spirit of the ruler rise vp against thee leaue not thy place for yeelding pacifieth great offences now his impatient falling although to the right side makes him no better then trayterously honest So soone as Abner hath entertained a resolution of his rebellion hee perswades the Elders of Israel to accompany him in the change whence doth he fetch his main motiue but from the Oracle of God The Lord hath spoken of Dauid saying By the hand of my seruant Dauid will I saue my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistims and out of the hand of all their enemies Abner knew this full well before yet then was well content to smother a knowne truth for his owne turne and now the publication of it may serue for his aduantage he wins the heart of Israel by shewing Gods Charter for him whom he had so long opposed Hypocrites make vse of God for their owne purposes and care onely to make diuine authority a colour for their owne designes No man euer heard Abner godly till now neither had hee beene so at this time if hee had not intended a reuengefull departure from Ishbosheth Nothing is more odious then to make religion a stalking horse to policy Who can but glorifie God in his Iustice when he sees the bitter end of this trecherous dissimulation Dauid may vpon considerations of state entertaine his new guest with a feast and well might he seeme to deserue a welcom that vndertakes to bring all Israel to the league and homage of Dauid but God neuer meant to vse so vnworthy meanes for so good a work Ioab returnes from pursuing a troop and finding Abner dismissed in peace and expectation of a beneficiall returne followes him and whether out of enuy at a new riuall of honour or out of the reuenge of Asahel he repayes him both dissimulation and death God doth most iustly by Ioab that which Ioab did for himselfe most vniustly I know not setting the quarrell aside whether we can worthily blame Abner for the death of Asahel who would needes after faire warnings run himselfe vpon Abners speare yet this fact shall procure his payment for worse Now is Ishbosheths wrong reuenged by an enemy wee may not alwayes measure the Iustice of Gods procedings by present occasions He needs not make vs acquainted or aske vs leaue when hee will call for the arrerages of forgotten sins Contemplations VPON THE HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT THE FIFTEENTH BOOKE Vzzah and the Arke Dauid with Mephibosheth Ziba Hanun and Dauids Ambassadors Dauid with Bashsheba and Vriah Nathan and Dauid Amon and Thamar Absaloms returne and Conspiracy TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD WILLIAM Lord Burleigh All grace and happines Right Honorable THere are but two Bookes wherein we can read God The one is his word his workes the other This is the bigger volume that the more exquisite The Characters of this are more large but dimme of that smaller but clearer Philosophers haue turned ouer this and erred That Diuines and studious Christians not without full and certaine information In the workes of God wee see the shadow or foot-steps of the Creator in his word we see the face of God in a glasse Happines consists in the vision of that infinite Maiestie and if wee bee perfectly happy aboue in seeing him face to face our happines is well forward below in seeing the liuely representation of his face in the glasse of the Scriptures Wee cannot spend our eyes too much vpon this obiect For mee the more I see the more I am amazed the more I am rauished with this glorious beauty With the honest lepers I cannot bee content to inioy this happy sight alone there is but one way to euery mans felicity May it please your Lordship to take part with many your Peeres in these my weake but not vnprofitable Contemplations which shall hold themselues not a little graced with your Honorable name Whereto together with your right noble and most worthy Lady I haue gladly deuoted my selfe to be Your Lordships in all dutifull obseruance IOS HALL Vzzah and the Arke remoued THe house of Saul is quiet the Philistims beaten victory cannot end better then in deuotion Dauid is no sooner setled in his house at Ierusalem then hee fetcheth God to be his guest there the thousands of Israel goe now in an holy march to bring vp the Ark of God to the place of his rest The tumults of warre afforded no oportunity of this seruice only peace is a frend to religion neither is peace euer our frend but when it is a seruant of piety The vse of warre is not more pernicious to the body then the abuse of peace is to the Soule Alas the ryot bred of our long ease rather driues the Ark of God from vs so the still sedentary life is subiect to diseases and standing waters putrifie It may bee iust with God to take away the blessing which wee doe so much abuse and to scoure off our rust with bloody warre c. The Ark of God had now many yeares rested in the obscure lodge of Abinadab without the honor of a Tabernacle Dauid will not indure himselfe glorious and the Ark 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 do then honor him whom they represent It was no good that Israel could learne of Philistims Those Pagans had sent the Ark 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 he will not brook from Israel Aliens from God are no fit patternes for children Diuine institution had made this a cariage for the Leuites not for Oxen Neither should those
and is now payed with the bloud of his son how shall I hope to speede better but he opens his doores with a bold cheerefulnesse and notwithstanding all those terrors bids God welcome Nothing can make God not amiable to his owne Euen his very Iustice is louely Holy men know how to reioyce in the Lord with trembling and can feare without discouragement The God of Heauen will not receiue any thing from men on free cost hee will pay liberally for his lodging a plentifull blessing vpon Obed-Edom and all his houshold It was an honour to that zealous Gittite that the Arke would come vnder his roofe yet God rewards that honour with benediction Neuer man was a loser by true godlinesse The house of Obed-Edom cannot this while want obseruation the eyes of Dauid and all Israel are neuer off from it to see how it fared with this entertainment And now when they finde nothing but a gracious acceptation and sensible blessing the good King of Israel takes new heart and hastens to fetch the Arke into his royall City The view of Gods fauours vpon the godly is no small encouragement to confidence and obedience Doubtlesse Obed-Edom was not free from some weaknesses If the Lord should haue taken the aduantage of judgement against him what Israelites had not been dishartned from attending the Arke Now Dauid Israel was not more affrighted with the vengeance vpon Vzzah then encouraged by the blessing of Obed-Edom The wise God doth so order his iust and mercifull proceedings that the awefulnesse of men may be tempered with loue Now the sweet singer of Israel reuiues his holy Musicke and addes both more spirit and more pompe to so deuout a businesse I did not before heare of trumpets nor dancing nor shouting nor sacrifices nor the linnen Ephod The sense of Gods passed displeasure doubles our care to please him and our ioy in his recouered approbation wee neuer make so much of our health as after sicknesse nor neuer are so officious to our frend as after an vnkindnesse In the first setting out of the Ark Dauids feare was at least an equall match to his ioy therefore after the first sixe paces hee offred a sacrifice both to pacifie God and thank him but now when they saw no signe of dislike they did more freely let themselues loose to a fearelesse ioy and the body stroue to expresse the holy affection of the Soule there was no limme no part that did not professe their mirth by motion no noyse of voyce or instrument wanted to assist their spirituall iollity Dauid led the way dauncing with all his might in his linnen Ephod Vzzah was still in his eye he durst not vsurpe vpon a garment of Priests but hee will borrow their colour to grace the solemnity though he dare not the fashion White was euer the colour of ioy and linnen was light for vse therfore he couers his Princely robes with white linnin and meanes to honor himselfe by his conformity to Gods ministers Those that thinke there is disgrace in the Ephod are farre from the Spirit of the man after Gods owne hart Neither can there bee a greater argument of a foule Soule then a dislike of the glorious calling of God Barren Mical hath too many Sons that scorne the holy habit and exercises shee lookes through her window and seeing the attyre and gestures of her deuout husband despiseth him in her hart neither can shee conceale her contempt but like Sauls daughter cast it proudly in his face Oh how glorious was the King of Israel this day which was vncouered to day in the eyes of the Maidens of his seruants as a foole vncouereth himselfe Worldly harts can see nothing in actions of zeale but folly and madnesse Piety hath no relish to their palate but distastfull Dauids hart did neuer swell so much at any reproch as this of his wife his loue was for the time lost in his anger and as a man impatient of no affront so much as in the way of his deuotion hee returnes a bitter checke to his Micall It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Father all his house c. Had not Mical twitted her husband with the shame of his zeale she had not heard of the shamefull reiection of her Father now since shee will be forrgetting whose wife she was she shall be put in minde whose daughter she was Contumelyes that are cast vpon vs in the causes of God may safely bee repayed If we be meal-mouthed in the scornes of religion wee are not patient but zeale-lesse Heere we may not forbeare her that lies in our bosome If Dauid had not loued Mical dearely he had neuer stood vpon those points with Abner Hee knew that if Abner came to him the Kingdome of Israel would accompany him and yet he sends him the charge of not seeing his face except he brought Mical Sauls daughter with him as if he would not regard the Crowne of Israel whiles hee wanted that wife of his Yet heere hee takes her vp roundly as if she had bene an enimy not a partener of his bed All relations are a loofe off in comparison of that betwixt God and the Soule He that loues Father or Mother or wife or childe better then me saith our Sauiour is not worthy of me Euen the highest delights of our harts must be trampled vpon when they will stand out in riuality with God Oh happy resolution of the royall Prophet and propheticall King of Israel I will bee yet more vile then thus and will bee low in mine owne sight he knew this very abasement heroycall and that the only way to true glory is not to be ashamed of our lowest humiliation vnto God Well might he promise himselfe honor from those whose contempt shee had threatned The hearts of men are not their owne hee that made them ouer-rules them and inclines them to an honorable conceit of those that honor their maker So as holy men haue oft-times inward reuerence euen where they haue outward indignities Dauid came to blesse his house Mical brings a curse vpon her selfe Her scornes shall make her childelesse to the day of her death Barrennesse was held in those times none of the least iudgements God doth so reuenge Dauids quarrell vpon Mical that her sudden disgrace shall bee recompenced with perpetuall Shee shall not bee held worthy to beare a Sonne to him whom she vniustly contemned How iust is it with God to prouide whips for the back scorners It is no maruell if those that mocke at goodnesse bee plagued with continuall fruitlesnesse Mephibosheth and Ziba SO soone as euer Dauid can but breathe himselfe from the publique cares hee casts backe his thoughts to the deare remembrance of his Ionathan Sauls seruant is likely to giue him the best intelligence of Sauls sons The question is therfore moued to Ziba Remaineth there yet none of the house of Saul and lest suspition might conceale the remainders of
haue commanded legges he had not beene left behinde Dauid now that he cannot goe with him hee will not be well without him and therfore puts himselfe to a wilfull and sullen penance for the absence and danger of his King hee will not so much as put on cleane clothes for the time as he that could not haue any ioy in himselfe for the want of his Lord Dauid Vnconscionable miscreants care not how they collogue whom they slander for a priuate aduantage Lewd Ziba comes with a gifte in his hand and a smooth tale in his mouth Oh sir you thought you had a Ionathan at home but you will finde a Saul It were pitty but hee should bee set at your table that would sit in your throne you thought Sauls land would haue contented Mephibosheth but he would haue all yours though hee bee lame yet hee would bee climbing would you haue thought that this creple could be plotting for your kingdome now that you are but gone aside Ishbosheth will neuer die whiles Mephibosheth liues How did hee now forget his impotence and raysed vp his spirits in hope of a day and durst say that now the time was comne wherein the Crowne should reuert to Sauls true heyre Oh viper If a Serpent bite in secret when hee is not charmed no better is a slanderer Honest Mephibosheth in good manners made a dead dog of himselfe when Dauid offred him the fauour of his board but Ziba would make him a very dog indeed an ill-natur'd curre that when Dauid did thus kindely feed him at his owne table would not only bite his fingers but flye at his throat But what shall we say to this Neither earthly soueraignty nor holynesse can exempt men from humane infirmities Wise and good Dauid hath now but one eare and that misled with credulity His charity in beleeuing Ziba makes him vncharitable in distrusting in censuring Mephibosheth The detractor hath not only sudden credit giuen him but Sauls land Ionathans Son hath lost vnheard that inheritance which was giuen him vnsought Heare-say is no safe ground of any iudgement Ziba slaunders Dauid beleeues Mephibosheth suffers Lyes shall not alwayes prosper God will not abide the truth to be euer oppressed At last Ionathans lame Son shall bee found as sound in heart as lame in his body Hee whose Soule was like his father Ionathans Soule whose body was like to his grand-father Sauls Soule meets Dauid as it was high time vpon his returne bestirs his tongue to discharge himselfe of so foule a slaunder The more horrible the crime had beene the more villanous was the vniust suggestion of it and the more necessary was a iust Apologie Sweetly therefore and yet passionately doth hee labour to greaten Dauids fauours to him his owne obligations and vilenesse showing himselfe more affected with his wrong then with his losse welcomming Dauid home with a thankfull neglect of himselfe as not caring that Ziba had his substance now that he had his king Dauid is satisfied Mephibosheth restored to fauour and lands here are two kinde harts well met Dauid is full of satisfaction from Mephibosheth Mephibosheth runs ouer with joy in Dauid Dauid like a gracious King giues Mephibosheth as before Sauls lands to halues with Ziba Mephibosheth like a King giues all to Ziba for joy that God had giuen him Dauid All had beene well if Ziba had fared worse Pardon mee ô holy and glorious soule of a Prophet of a King after Gods owne heart I must needs blame thee for mercy A fault that the best and most generous natures are most subiect to It is pitty that so good a thing should doe hurt yet wee finde that the best misvsed is most dangerous Who should be the patterne of Kings but the King of God Mercy is the gentliest flower in his Crowne much more in theirs but with a difference Gods mercy is infinite theirs limited he sayes I will haue mercy on whom I will they must say I will haue mercy on whom I should And yet he for all his infinite mercy hath vessels of wrath so must they of whom his Iustice hath sayd Thine eye shall not spare them A good man is pitifull to his beast shall hee therefore make much of toads snakes Oh that Ziba should goe away with any possession saue of shame and sorrow that hee should bee coupled with a Mephibosheth in a partnership of estates Oh that Dauid had changed the word a litle A diuision was due here indeed but of Ziba's eares from his head or his head from his shoulders for going about so maliciously to diuide Dauid from the son of Ionathan An eye for an eye was Gods rule If that had beene true which Ziba suggested against Mephibosheth he had been worthy to lose his head with his lands being false it had beene but reason Ziba should haue changed heads with Mephibosheth Had not holy Dauid himselfe beene so stung with venomous tongues that he cryes out in the bitternesse of his soule What reward shall be giuen to thee ô thou false tongue euen sharp arrowes with hot burning coles Hee that was so sensible of himselfe in Doegs wrong doth he feele so little of Mephibosheth in Ziba's Are these the arrowes of Dauids quiuer are these his hot burning coles Thou Ziba diuide He that had sayd Their tongue isa sharp sword now that hee had the sword of just reuenge in his hand is this the blow hee giues Diuide the possessions I know not whether excesse or want of mercy may proue most dangerous in the great the one may discourage good intentions with feare the other may encourage wicked practices through presumption Those that are in eminent place must learne the mid-way betwixt both so pardoning faults that they may not prouoke them so punishing them that they may not dishearten vertuous and wel-meant actions they must learne to sing that absolute ditty whereof Dauid had here forgotten one part of Mercy Iudgement Hanun and Dauids Ambassadours IT is not the meaning of religion to make men vnciuill If the King of Ammon were heathenish yet his kindnes may be acknowledged may bee returned by the King of Israel I say not but that perhaps Dauid might maintaine too strayt a league with that forbidden nation A little frendship is enough to an Idolater but euen the sauage Cannibals may receiue an answer of outward courtesie If a very dog fawne vpon vs wee stroke him on the head and clap him on the side much lesse is the common band of humanity vntyed by Grace Disparity in spirituall professions is no warrant for ingratitude Hee therfore whose good nature proclaimed to shew mercy to any branch of Sauls house for Ionathans sake will now also shew kindnesse to Hanun for the sake of Nahash his father It was the same Nahash that offered the cruell condition to the men of Iabesh Gilead of thrusting out their right eyes for the admission into his couenant He that was thus bloudy in
are hyred into the field against Israel Fond Pagans that know not the value of a man their bloud cost them nothing and they care not to sell it good cheape How can wee thinke those men haue Soules that esteeme a little white earth aboue themselues that neuer inquire into the iustice of the quarell but the rate of the pay that can rifle for drams of siluer in the bowels of their owne flesh and either kill or die for a dayes wages Ioab the wise Generall of Israel soone findes where the strength of the battle lay and so marshalls his troupes that the choyce of his men shall incounter the vantgard of the Syrians His brother Abishai leads the rest against the children of Ammon with this couenant of mutuall assistance If the Syrians be too strong for mee then thou shalt helpe mee but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee then will I come and helpe thee It is an happy thing when the captains of Gods people ioyne together as brethren and lend their hand to the ayde of each other against the common aduersary Concord in defence or assault is the way to victory as contrarily the deuision of the Leaders is the ouerthrow of the army Set aside some particular actions Ioab was a worthy Captaine both for wisdome and valour Who could either exhort or resolue better then he Be of good courage and let vs play the men for our people and for the cities of our God and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good It is not either priuate glory or profit that whets his fortitude but the respect to the cause of God and his people That Souldier can neuer answer it to God that strikes not more as a Iusticer then as an enemy Neither doth hee content himselfe with his owne courage but he animates others The tongue of a Commander fights more then his hand it is enough for priuate men to exercise what life and limmes they haue a good Leader must out of his owne abundance put life and spirits into all others If a Lyon lead sheep into the field there is hope of victory Lastly when he hath done his best he resolues to depend vpon God for the issue not trusting to his sword or his bowe but to the prouidence of the Almightie for successe as a man religiously awfull and awfully confident whiles there should bee no want in their owne indeuours he knew well that the race was not to the swift nor the battle to the strong therefore hee lookes vp aboue the hills whence commeth his saluation All valour is cowardise to that which is built vpon religion I maruel not to see Ioab victorious whiles he is thus godly The Syrians flee before him like flocks of sheepe the Amonites follow them The two Sons of Zeruiah haue nothing to doe but to pursue and execute The throates of the Amonites are cut for cutting the beards and cotes of the Israelitish messengers Neither doth this reuenge end in the field Rabba the royall city of Ammon is strongly beleguered by Ioab the City of waters after well-neare a yeares siege yeildeth the rest can no longer hold out now Ioab as one that desired more to approue himselfe a loyall and carefull subiect then a happy Generall sends to his master Dauid that he should come personally and encampe against the City and take it Least saith he I take it and it be called after my name Oh noble and imitable fidelity of a dutifull seruant that prefers his Lord to himselfe and is so farre from stealing honor from his masters deserts that he willingly remits of his owne to adde vnto his The warre was not his he was only imployed by his Soueraigne The same person that was wronged in the Ambassadors reuengeth by his soldiers the praise of the act shall like fountaine water returne to the sea whence it originally came To seeke a mans owne glory is not glory Alas how many are there who being sent to sue for God wooe for themselues Oh God it is a fearfull thing to robbe thee of that which is dearest to thee glory which as thou wilt not giue to any creature so much lâ—sse wilt thou indure that any creature should filtch it from thee and giue it to himselfe Haue thou the honor of all our actions who giuest a beeing to our actions and vs and in both hast most iustly regarded thine owne praise Dauid with Bathsheba and VRIAH WIth what vnwillingnes with what feare do I still look vpon the miscariage of the man after Gods owne hart O holy Prophet who can promise himselfe alwayes to stand when he sees thee falne and maimed in the fall Who can assure himselfe of an immunity from the foulest sins when hee sees the offending so haynously so bloudily Let profane eyes behold thee contentedly as a patterne as an excuse of sinning I shall neuer looke at thee but through teares as a wofull spectacle of humane infirmity Whiles Ioab and all Israel were busie in the warre against Ammon in the siege of Rabbah Satan findes time to lay siege to the secure hart of Dauid Who euer found Dauid thus tempted thus foyled in the dayes of his busie warres Now only doe I see the King of Israel rising from his bed in the euening The time was when he rose vp in the morning to his early deuotions when hee brake his nightly rest with publique cares with the businesse of estate all that while he was innocent he was holy but now that he wallowes in the bed of idlenesse he is fit to inuite a tentation The industrious man hath no leasure to sinne The idle hath neither leasure nor power to auoyd sinne Exercise is not wore wholsome for the body then for the Soule the remission whereof breeds matter of disease in both The water that hath beene heated soonest freezeth the most actiue Spirit soonest tyâ—eth with slackning The earth stands still and is all dregs the heauens euer moue and are pure We haue no reason to complaine of the assiduity of work the toyle of action is answered by the benefit If wee did lesse wee should suffer more Satan like an idle companion if he finde vs busie flies backe and sees it no time to entertaine vaine purposes with vs Wee cannot please him better then by casting away our work to hold chat with him wee cannot yeild so farre and bee guiltlesse Euen Dauids eyes haue no sooner the sleepe rubbed out of them then they roue to wanton prospects He walkes vpon his roofe and sees Bathsheba washing her selfe inquires after her sends for her solicits her to vncleanenesse The same Spirit that shut vp his eyes in an vnseasonable sleepe opens them vpon an intising obiect whiles sinne hath such a Solicitor 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 vncleanenesse Lust is quick-sighted Dauid hath espyed her where she could espye no
doth so her Son and Sauiour is her monitor out of his diuine loue reforming her naturall How is â—t that ye sought me Knew ye not â—hat I must goe about my Fathers businesse Immediately before the blessed virgin had said thy father and I sought thee with heauy hearts Wherein both according to the supposition of the world she called Ioseph the father of Christ and according to the fashion of a dutifull wife shee names her Ioseph before her selfe She well knew that Ioseph had nothing but a name in this busines she knew how God had dignified her beyond him yet she saies Thy father and I soughâ— thee The Sonne of God stand not vpon contradiction to hiâ— mother but leading he thoughts from his supposed father to his true from earth tâ— heauen he answers Knew ye noâ— that I must goe about my Fatherâ— businesse It was honor enough to her that hee had vouchsafed to take flesh of her It was his eternall honor that hee waâ— God of God the euerlasting Son of the heauenly Father good reason therefore was it that the respects to flesh should giue place to the God of Spirits How well contented was holy Mary with so iust an answer how doth she now again in her hart renew her answer to the Angell Behold the seruant of the Lord be it according to thy word We are all the sonnes of God in another kinde Nature and the world thinkes wee should attend them we are not worthy to say we haue a Father in heauen if we cannot steale away from these earthly distractions and imploy our selues in the seruices of our God Christs Baptisme IOHN did euery way fore-runne Christ not so much in the time of his birth as in his office nether was there more vnlikenesse in their disposition and carriage then similitude in their function both did preach and baptise only Iohn baptised by himselfe our Sauiour by his disciples our Sauiour wrought miracles by himselfe by his disciples Iohn wrought none by either Wherein Christ meant to shew himselfe a Lord and Iohn a seruant and Iohn meant to approue himselfe a true seruant to him whose harbinger he was hee that leapt in the wombe of his mother when his Sauiour then newly conceiued came in presence bestirred himselfe when hee was brought forth into the light of the Church to the honor and seruice of his Sauiour he did the same before Christ which Christ charged his disciples to doe after him preach and baptise The Gospell ran alwayes in one tenor and was neuer but like it selfe So it became the word of him in whom there is no shadow by turning and whose word it is I am Iehoua I change not It was fit that hee which had the Prophets the starre the Angels to foretell his comming into the world should haue his Vsher to goe before him when he would notifie himselfe to the world Iohn was the voyce of a Cryer Christ was the word of his Father it was fit this voyce should make a noyse to the world ere the word of the Father should speake to it Iohns note was still repentance the axe to the root the fan to the flowre the chaffe to the fire as his rayment was rough so was his tongue and if his food were wilde hony his speech was stinging locusts Thus must the way be made for Christ in euery hart Plausibility is no fit preface to regeneration if the hart of man had continued vpright God might haue beene intertained without contradiction but now violence must be offered to our corruption ere we can haue roome for grace if the great way-maker doe not cast downe hills and rayse vp vallyes in the bosomes of men there is no passage for Christ neuer will Christ come into that soule where the herald of repentance hath not beene before him That Sauiour of ours who from eternity lay hid in the counsell of God who in the fulnes of time so came that hee lay hid in the wombe of his mother for the space of forty weekes after hee was come thought fit to lye hid in Nazareth for the space of thirty yeares now at last begins to shew himselfe to the world and comes from Galile to Iordan He that was God alwayes and might haue beene perfect man in an instant would by degrees rise to the perfection both of his manhood and execution of his mediator-ship to teach vs the necessity of leasure in spirituall proceedings that many suns and successions of seasons and meanes must be stayd for ere we can attaine our maturity and that when we are ripe for the imployments of God wee should no lesse willingly leaue our obscurity then wee tooke the benefit of it for our preparation He that was formerly circumcised would now bee baptised what is baptisme but an Euangelicall circumcision What was circumcision but a legall baptisme One both supplyed and succeeded the other yet the author of both will vndergoe both He would be circumcised to satisfie his Church that was and baptised to sanctifie his Church that should bee that so in both Testaments hee might open away into heauen There was in him neither filthines nor fore-skin of corruption that should need either knife or water He came not to be a Sauiour for himselfe but for vs we are all vncleanenesse and vncircumcision he would therefore haue that done to his most pure body which should be of force to cleare our impure soules thus making himselfe sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him His baptisme giues vertue to ours His last action or rather passion was his baptising with blood his first was his baptization with water both of them wash the world from their sins Yea this latter did not only wash the soules of men but washeth that very water by which wee are washed from hence is that made both cleane and holy and can both cleanse and hallow vs And if the very hadkerchiefe which touched his Apostles had power of cure how much more that Water which the sacred body of Christ touched Christ comes far to seeke his baptisme to teach vs for whose sake he was baptised to wait vpon the ordinances of God and to sue for the fauour of spirituall blessings They are worthlesse commodities that are not worth seeking for it is rarely scene that God is found of any man vnsought for that desire which only makes vs capable of good things cannot stand with neglect Iohn durst not baptize vnbidden his Master sent him to doe this seruice and behold the Master comes to his seruant to call for the participation of that priuiledge which he himselfe had instituted and enioyned how willingly should wee come to our spirituall Superiors for our part in those mysteries which God hath left in their keeping yâ—â— how gladly should wee come to that Christ who giues vs these blessings who is giuen to vs in them This seemed too great an honour for the modesty of Iohn to receiue
and their glory were only to be represented to his imagination the valley would haue serued If to the outward sence no hill could suffice Circular bodyes though smal cannot be seene at once This show was made to both diuers kingdomes lying round about Iudea were represented to the eye The glory of them to the imagination Satan meant the eye could tempt the fancy no lesse then the fancy could tempt the will How many thousand soules haue dyed of the wound of the eye If we doe not let in sinne at the window of the eye or the dore of the eare it cannot enter into our hearts If there bee any pompe maiesty pleasure brauery in the world where should it be but in the Courts of Princes whom God hath made his Images his deputies vpon earth There is soft rayment sumptuous feasts rich Iewels honorable attendance glorious triumphs royall state these Satan laies out to the fairest show But oh the craft of that old Serpent Many a care attends greatnesse No creature is without thornes High seats are neuer but vneasie all those infinite discontentments which are the shaddow of earthly soueraignety he hides out of the way nothing may bee seene but what may both please and allure Satan is still and euer like himselfe If tentations might be but turnd about and showne on both sides the kingdome of darknesse would not be so populous Now whensoeuer the Tempter sets vpon any poore soule all sting of conscience wrath iudgement torment is concealed as if they were not Nothing may appeare to the eye but pleasure profit and a seeming happinesse in the inioying our desires those other wofull obiects are reserued for the farewell of sinne that our misery may bee seene and felt at once When we are once sure Satan is a Tyrant till then he is a Parasite There can be no safety if we do not view as well the backe as the face of tentations But oh presumption and impudence that hell it selfe may be asham'd of The Diuell dares say to Christ All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee That beggerly spirit that hath not an inch of earth can offer the whole world to the maker to the owner of it The slaue of God would be adord of his Creator How can we hope he should be sparing of false boasts and of vnreasonable promises vnto vs when hee dares offer kingdomes to him by whom kings raigne Tentations on the right hand are most dangerous how many that haue bene hardned with feare haue melted with honor There is no doubt of that soule that will not bite at the golden hooke False lyers and vaineglorious boasters see the top of their pedigree If I may not rather say that Satan doth borrow the vse of their tongues for a time Whereas faithfull is he that hath promised who will also doe it Fidelity and truth is the issue of heauen If Idolatry were not a deare sinne to Satan he would not be so importunate to compasse it It is miserable to see how hee drawes the world insensibly into this sin which they professe to detest Those that would rather hazard the furnace then worship gold in a statue yet doe adore it in the stampe and finde no fault with themselues If our hearts be drawne to stoope vnto an ouer-high respect of any creature wee are Idolaters O God it is no maruell if thy ielousie be kindled at the admission of any of thine owne works into a competition of honor with their Creator Neuer did our Sauiour say Auoid Satan till now It is a iust indignation that is conceiued at the motion of a riuality with God Neither yet did Christ exercise his diuine power in this command but by the necessary force of Scripture driues away that impure Tempter It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue The rest of our Sauiours answers were more full and direct then that they could admit of a reply but this was so flat and absolute that it vtterly daunted the courage of Satan and put him to a shamefull flight and made him for the time weary of his trade The way to bee rid of the troublesome solicitations of that wicked one is continued resistance Hee that forcibly droue the tempter from himselfe takes him off from vs and will not abide his assaults perpctuall It is our exercise and triall that hee intends not our confusion Simon called AS the Sun in his first rising drawes all eâ—es to it So did this Sun of righteousnes when hee first shone forth into the world His miraculous cures drew Patients his diuine doctrine drew Auditors both together drew the admiring multitude by troopes after him And why doe wee not still follow thee ô Sauiour thorow deserts and mountaines ouer land and seas that wee may bee both healed and taught It was thy word that when thou wert lift vp thou wouldst draw all men vnto thee Behold thou art lift vp long since both to the tree of shame and to the throne of heauenly glory Draw vs and we shall run after thee Thy word is still the same though proclaimed by men thy vertue is still the same though exercised vpon the spirits of men Oh giue vs to hunger after both that by both our soules may be satisfied I see the people not onely following Christ but pressing vpon him euen very vnmannerlinesse findes here both excuse and acceptation They did not keepe their distances in an awe to the Maiesty of the Speaker whiles they were rauished with the power of the speech yet did not our Sauiour checke their vnreuerent thronging but rather encourages their forwardnesse Wee cannot offend thee ô God with the importunity of our desires It likes thee well that the Kingdom of Heauen should suffer violence Our slacknesse doth euer displease theee neuer our vehemence The throng of Auditors forced Christ to leaue the shore and to make Peters ship his Pulpit Neuer were there such nets cast out of that fisher-boat before whiles hee was vpon the land he healed the sicke bodies by his touch now that he was vpon the sea he cured the sicke soules by his doctrine and is purposely seuered from the multitude that hee may vnite them to him Hee that made both sea and land causeth both of them to conspire to the opportunities of doing good Simon was busie washing his nets Euen those nets that caught nothing must bee washed no lesse then if they had sped well The nights toyle doth not excuse his dayes work Little did Simon thinke of leauing those nets which hee so carefully washed and now Christ interrupts him with the fauour and blessing of his gracious presence Labour in our callings how homely soeuer makes vs capable of diuine benediction The honest Fisher-man when hee saw the people flocke after Christ and heard him speake with such power could not but conceiue a generall confuse apprehension of some excellent worth
could be but so low deiected before thee as thou hast stooped low vnto vs that we could be but as lowly subiects of thy goodnesse as wee are vnworthy Oh admirable returne of humility Christ will goe downe to visit the sicke seruant the master of that seruant sayes Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come vnder my roofe The Iewish Elders that went before to mediate for him could say He is worthy that thou shouldst doe this for him but the Centurion when hee comes to speake for himselfe I am not worthy They said He was worthy of Christs miracle He saies 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 Somtimes againe it ouer-values a man that knowes iust cause of his owne humiliation If others mistake vs this can be no warrant for our error Wee cannot be wise vnlesse wee receiue the knowledge of our selues by direct beames not by reflection vnlesse we haue learned to contemne vniust applauses and scorning the flatteryes of the world to frowne vpon our owne vilenesse Lord I am not worthy Many a one if he had bene in the Centurions cote would haue thought well of it A Captaine a man of good ability and command a founder of a Synagogue a Patron of religion yet he ouerlookes all these and when he casts his eye vpon the diuine worth of Christ and his owne weakenesse he saies I am not worthy Alas Lord I am a Gentile an alien a man of blood thou art holy thou art omnipotent True humility will teach vs to finde out the best of another and the worst peece of our selues Pride contrarily showes vs nothing but matter of admiration in our selues in others of contempt Whiles hee confest himselfe vnworthy of any fauour he approued himselfe worthy of all Had not Christ bene before in his heart hee could not haue thought himselfe vnworthy to intertaine that guest within his house Vnder the low roofe of an humble brest doth God euer delight to dwel The stare of his Pallace may not bee measured by the height but by the depth Brags bold faces do oft-times carry it away with men nothing preuailes with God but our voluntary deiections It is fit the foundations should be laid deep where the building is high The centurions humility was not more lowe then his faith was lofty that reaches vp into heauen and in the face of humane weaknesse descrye omnipotence Only say the word and my seruant shall be whole Had the Centurions roof◠bene heauen it selfe it could not haue bene worthy to be comne vnder of him whose word was almighty and who was the Almighty word of his Father Such is Christ confessed by him that saies Only say the word none but a diuine power is vnlimited neither hath faith any other bounds then God himselfe There needs no footing to remoue mountaines or Deuills but a word Doe but say the word ô Sauiour my sinne shall be remitted my soule shall bee healed my body shall be raysed from dust both soule and body shall be glorious Whereupon then was the steddy confidence of the Good Centurion He saw how powerfull his own 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 therfore needs yeild to the becke of the God of nature weakenesse may show vs what is in strength By one drop of water we may see what is in the maine Ocean I maruell not if the Centurion were kinde to his seruants for they were dutifull to him he can but say Doe this and it is done these mutuall respects draw on each other cheerefull and diligent seruice in the one calls for a due and fauourable care in the other they that neglect to please cannot complaine to bee neglected Oh that I could be 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 He sayes Goe from the world I run to it he 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 bee no duty of ours that he sees not that he acknowledges not that he crownes not we could not but be happy if we could be officious What can be more maruelous then to see Christ maruell All maruelling supposes an ignorance going before and a knowledge following some accident vnexpected now who wrought this faith in the Centurion but he that wondred at it Hee knew well what hee wrought because hee wrought what he would yet he wondred at what he both wrought and knew to teach vs much more to admire that which hee at once knowes and holds admirable Hee wrought this faith as God he wondred at it as man God wrought and man admired he 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 familiarity of these things intercepts the admiration But when he sees the grace or acts of faith he so approues them that he is rauished with wonder Hee that reioyced in the view of his creation to see that of nothing he had made all things good reioyces no lesse in the reformation of his creature to see that hee hath made good of euill Behold thou art faire my loue behold thou art faire and there is no spot in thee My sister my spouse thou hast wounded my heart thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes Our wealth beauty wit learning honor may make vs accepted of men but it is our faith only that shall make God in loue with vs And why are we of any other saue Gods diet to bee more affected with the least measure of grace in any man then withall the outward glories of the world There are great men whom we iustly pitty we can admire none but the gracious Neither was that plant more worthy of wonder in it selfe then that it grew in such a soyle with so little help of raine and Sun The weaknesse of meanes addes to the prayse and acceptation of our proficiency To do good vpon a little is the commendation of thrift it is small thanke to bee full-handed in a large estate As contrarily the strength of meanes doubles the reuenge of our neglect It