freedome from paine the foulest spirits cannot but loue themselues and this loue must needs produce a deprecation of euill Yet what a thing is this to heare the Deuill at his praiers I beseech thee torment me not Deuotion is not guiltie of this but feare There is no grace in the suit of Deuils but nature no respect of glory to their Creator but their owne ease They cannot pray against sinne but against torment for sinne What newes is it now to heare the profanest mouth in extremitie imploring the sacred name of God when the Deuils doe so The worst of all creatures hates punishment and can say Lead me not into paine only the good heart can say Lead me not into temptation If we can as heartily pray against sinne for the auoiding of displeasure as against punishment when we haue displeased there is true grace in the soule Indeed if we could feruently pray against sinne we should not need to pray against punishment which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that body but if we haue not laboured against our sinnes in vaine doe we pray against punishment God must be iust and the wages of sinne is death It pleased our holy Sauiour not only to let fall words of command vpon this spirit but to interchange some speeches with him All Christs actions are not for example It was the error of our Grand-mother to hold chat with Satan That God who knowes the craft of that old Serpent and our weake simplicitie hath charged vs not to inquire of an euill spirit surely if the Disciples returning to Iacobs Well wondred to see Christ talke with a woman well may we wonder to see him talking with an vncleane Spirit Let it be no presumption ô Sauiour to aske vpon what grounds thou didst this wherein we may not follow thee We know that sinne was excepted in thy conformitie of thy selfe to vs we know there was no guile found in thy mouth no possibilitie of taint in thy nature in thine actions Neither is it hard to conceiue how the same thing may be done by thee without sinne which we cannot but sinne in doing There is a vast difference in the Intention in the Agent For on the one side thou didst not aske the name of the spirit as one that knew not and would learne by inquiring but that by the confession of that mischiefe which thou pleasedst to suffer the grace of the cure might be the more conspicuous the more glorious so on the other God and man might doe that safely which meere man cannot doe without danger thou mightest touch the leprosie and not be legally vncleane because thou touchedst it to heale it didst not touch it with possibilitie of infection So mightest thou who by reason of the perfection of thy diuine nature wert vncapable of any staine by the interlocution with Satan safely conferre with him whom corrupt man predisposed to the danger of such a pearle may not meddle with without sinne because not without perill It is for none but God to hold discourse with Satan Our surest way is to haue as little to doe with that euill one as we may and if he shall offer to maintaine conference with vs by his secret tentations to turne our speech vnto our God with the Archangell The Lord rebuke thee Satan It was the presupposition of him that knew it that not only men but spirits haue names This then he askes not out of an ignorance or curiositie nothing could be hid from him who calleth the starres and all the hosts of heauen by their names but out of a iust respect to the glory of the miracle he was working whereto the notice of the name would not a little auaile For if without inquirie or confession our Sauiour had eiected this euill spirit it had passed for the single dispossession of one onely Deuill whereas now it appeares there was a combination and hellish champertie in these powers of darknesse which were all forced to vaile vnto that almightie command Before the Deuill had spoken singularly of himselfe What haue I to doe with thee and I beseech thee torment me not Our Sauiour yet knowing that there was a multitude of Deuils lurking in that brest who dissembled their presence wrests it out of the Spirit by this interrogation What is thy name Now can those wicked ones no longer hide themselues He that asked the question forced the answer My name is Legion The author of discord hath borrowed a name of warre from that militarie order of discipline by which the Iewes were subdued doth the Deuill fetch his denomination They were many yet they say My name not Our name though many they speake as one they act as one in this possession There is a maruellous accordance euen betwixt euill spirits that Kingdome is not diuided for then it could not stand I wonder not that wicked men doe so conspire in euill that there is such vnanimitie in the brochers and abettors of errors when I see those deuils which are many in substance are one in name action habitation Who can bragge too much of vnitie when it is incident into wicked spirits All the praise of concord is in the subiect if that be holy the consent is Angelicall if sinfull deuillish What a fearfull aduantage haue our spirituall enemies against vs If armed troupes come against single straglers what hope is there of life of victorie How much doth it concerne vs to band our hearts together in a communion of Saints Our enemies come vpon vs like a torrent Oh let not vs run asunder like drops in the dust All our vnited forces will be little enough to make head against this league of destruction Legion imports Order number conflict Order in that there is a distinction of regiment a subordination of Officers Though in hell there be confusion of faces yet not confusion of degrees Number Those that haue reckoned a Legion at the lowest haue counted it six thousand others haue more then doubled it though here it is not strict but figuratiue yet the letter of it implies multitude How fearfull is the consideration of the number of Apostate-Angels And if a Legion can attend one man how many must we needs thinke are they who all the world ouer are at hand to the punishment of the wicked the exercise of the good the tentation of both It cannot be hoped there can be any place or time wherein we may be secure from the onsets of these enemies Be sure ye lewd men ye shall want no furtherance to euill no torment for euill Be sure ye godly ye shall not want combatants to trie your strength and skill Awaken your courages to resist and stirre vp your hearts to make sure the meanes of your safetie There are more with vs then against vs The God of heauen is with vs if we be with him and our Angels behold the face of God If euery deuill were a Legion we are safe Though wee walke
pray thee be against me and against my fathers house The better any man is the more sensible hee is of his owne wretchednesse Many of those Sheepe were Wolues to Dauid What had they done They had done that which was the occasion of Dauids sinne and the cause of their owne punishment But that gracious penitent knew his owne sinne he knew not theirs and therefore can say I haue sinned What haue they done It is safe accusing where we may be boldest and are best acquainted our selues Oh the admirable charitie of Dauid that would haue ingrossed the plague to himselfe and his house from the rest of Israel and sues to interpose himselfe betwixt his people and the vengeance Hee that had put himselfe vpon the pawes of the Beare and Lion for the rescue of his Sheepe will now cast himselfe vpon the sword of the Angell for the preseruation of Israel There was hope in those conflicts in this yeeldance there could be nothing but death Thus didst thou O sonne of Dauid the true and great Shepheard of thy Church offer thy selfe to death for them who had their hands in thy bloud who both procured thy death and deserued their owne Here hee offred himselfe that had sinned for those whom hee professeth to haue not done euill thou that didst no sinne vouchsauedst to offer thy selfe for vs that were all sinne He offered and escaped thou offeredst and diedst and by thy death wee liue and are freed from euerlasting destruction But O Father of all mercies how little pleasure doest thou take in the bloud of sinners it was thine owne pitty that inhibited the destroyer Ere Dauid could see the Angell thou hadst restrayned him It is sufficient hold now thine hand If thy compassion did not both withhold and abridge thy iudgements what place were there for vs out of hell How easie and iust had it been for God to haue made the shutting vp of that third euening red with bloud His goodnesse repents of the slaughter and cals for that Sacrifice wherwith he will be appeased An Altar must bee built in the threshing-floore of Araunah the Iebusite Lo in that very Hill where the Angel held the sword of Abraham from killing his Sonne doth God now hold the Sword of the Angell from killing his people Vpon this very ground shall the Temple after stand heere shall be the holy Altar which shall send vp the acceptable oblations of Gods people in succeeding generations O God what was the threshing-floore of a Iebusite to thee aboue all other soyles What vertue what merit was in this earth As in places so in persons it is not to be heeded what they are but what thou wilt That is worthiest which thou pleasest to accept Rich and bountifull Araunah is ready to meete Dauid in so holy a motion and munificently offers his Sion for the place his Oxen for the Sacrifice his Carts and Ploughes and other Vtensils of his Husbandry for the wood Two franke hearts are well met Dauid would buy Araunah would giue The Iebusite would not sell Dauid will not take Since it was for God and to Dauid Araunah is loth to bargaine Since it was for God Dauid wisheth to pay deare I will not offer burnt Offering to the Lord my God of that which doth cost mee nothing Heroicall spirits doe well become eminent persons Hee that knew it was better to giue then receiue would not receiue but giue There can be no deuotion in a niggardly heart As vnto dainty palates so to the godly soule that tastes sweetest that costs most Nothing is deare enough for the Creator of all things It is an heartlesse piety of those base-minded Christians that care onely to serue God good cheape Contemplations THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE Adonijah defeated Dauids end and Salomons beginning The execution of Ioab and Shimei Salomons choice with his iudgement vpon the two Harlots The Temple Salomon with the Queene of Sheba Salomons Defection TO MY WORTHILY MVCH HONOVRED FRIEND Sr HENRY MILDMAY Knight Master of the Iewell-house all grace and peace SIR Besides all priuate obligations your very name challengeth from me all due seruices of loue and honour If I haue receiued mercy to beare any fruit next vnder heauen I may thanke the stocke wherein I was ymped which was set by no other then the happie hand of your right Honorable Grandfather How haue I so long forborne the publique Testimonie of my iust gratulations and thankfull respects to so true an heire of his noble vertues Pardon me that I pay this debt so late and accept of this parcell of my well-meant labours Wherein you shall see SALOMON both in his rising and setting his rising hopefull and glorious his declination fearefull You shall see the proofes of his early graces of mercie in sparing ADONIIAH and ABIATHAR of iustice in punishing that riuall of his with IOAB and SHIMEI of wisdome in his award betwixt the two harlots and the administration of his Court and state of pietie in building and hallowing the Temple all dashed in his fall repaired in his repentance I haue no cause to misdoubt either the acceptation or vse of these mine hie pitched thoughts which together with your selfe and your worthy and vertuous Lady I humbly commend to the care and blessing of the hiest who am bound by your worth and merits to be euer Your syncerely and thankfully deuoted in all obseruance IOS HALL Contemplations ADONIJAH Defeated DAVID had not so carefully husbanded his yeeres as to maintaine a vigorous age he was therefore what through warres what with sorrowes what with sicknesse decrepit betimes By that time he was seuentie yeeres old his naturall heate was so wasted that his clothes could not warme him how many haue we knowne of more strength at more age The holiest soule dwells not in an inpregnable fort If the reuenging Angell spared Dauid yet age and Death will not spare him Neither his new altar nor his costly sacrifice can be of force against decay of nature Nothing but death can preuent the weaknesses of age None can blame a people if when they haue a good King they are desirous to hold him Dauids seruants and subiects haue commended vnto his bed a faire young virgin not for the heat of lust but of life that by this meanes they might make an outward supplie of fuell for that vitall fire which was well-neere extinguished with age As it is in the market or the stage so it is in our life One goes in another comes out when Dauid was withering Adonijah was in his blossome That sonne as he was next to Absalom both in the beautie of his body and the time of his birth so was he too like him in practise He also taking aduantage of his fathers infirmitie will be caruing himselfe of the kingdome of Israel That he might no whit vary from his patterne he gets him also Charets and horse-men and fiftie men to run before him These two Absalom and Adonijah were
of being commanded downe into the deepe for a further degree of actuall torment which he thus deprecates There are tortures appointed to the very spirituall natures of euill Angels Men that are led by sense haue easily granted the body subiect to torment who yet haue not so readily conceiued this incident to a spirituall substance The holy Ghost hath not thought it fit to acquaint vs with the particular manner of these inuisible acts rather willing that we should herein feare then inquire but as all matters of faith though they cannot be proued by reason for that they are in an hier sphere yet afford an answer able to stop the mouth of all reason that dares barke against them since truth cannot be opposite to it selfe so this of the sufferings of spirits There is therefore both an intentionall torment incident to spirits and a reall For as in blessednesse the good spirits finde themselues ioyned vnto the chiefe good and hereupon feele a perfect loue of God and vnspeakable ioy in him and rest in themselues so contrarily the euill spirits perceiue themselues eternally excluded from the presence of God and see themselues setled in a wofull darknesse and from the sense of this separation arises an horror not to be expressed not to be conceiued How many men haue we knowne to torment themselues with their owne thoughts There needs no other gibbet then that which their troubled spirit hath erected in their owne heart and if some paines begin at the body and from thence afflict the soule in a copartnership of griefe yet others arise immediately from the soule and draw the body into a participation of miserie Why may we not therefore conceiue meere and separate spirits capable of such an inward excruciation Besides which I heare the Iudge of men and Angels say Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels I heare the Prophet say Tophet is prepared of old If with feare and without curiositie we may looke vpon those flames Why may we not attribute a spirituall nature to that more then naturall fire In the end of the world the elements shall be dissolued by fire and if the pure quintessentiall matter of the skie and the element of fire it selfe shall be dissolued by fire then that last fire shall be of another nature then that which it consumeth what hinders then but that the omnipotent God hath from eternitie created a fire of another nature proportionable euen to spirituall essences Or why may we not distinguish of fire as it is it selfe a bodily creature and as it is an instrument of Gods iustice so working not by any materiall vertue or power of it owne but by a certaine height of supernaturall efficacie to which it is exalted by the omnipotence of that supreme and righteous Iudge Or lastly why may we not conceiue that though spirits haue nothing materiall in their nature which that fire should worke vpon yet by the iudgement of the almightie Arbiter of the world iustly willing their torment they may be made most sensible of paine and by the obedible submission of their created nature wrought vpon immediately by their appointed tortures Besides the very horror which ariseth from the place whereto they are euerlastingly confined For if the incorporeall spirits of liuing men may be held in a loathed or painfull body and conceiue sorrow to be so imprisoned Why may we not as easily yeeld that the euill spirits of Angels or men may be held in those direfull flames and much more abhorre therein to continue for euer Tremble rather ô my soule at the thought of this wofull condition of the euill Angels who for one only act of Apostasie from God are thus perpetually tormented whereas we sinfull wretches multiplie many and presumptuous offences against the Maiestie of our God And withall admire and magnifie that infinite mercie to the miserable generation of man which after this holy seueritie of iustice to the reuolted Angels so graciously forbeares our hainous iniquities and both suffers vs to be free for the time from these hellish torments and giues vs oportunitie of a perfect freedome from them for euer Praise the Lord ô my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name who forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercie and compassions There is no time wherein the euill spirits are not tormented there is a time wherein they expect to be tormented yet more Art thou come to torment vs before our time They knew that the last Assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution which they also vnderstood to be not yet come For though they knew not when the day of Iudgement should be a point concealed from the glorious Angels of heauen yet they knew when it should not be and therefore can say Before the time Euen the very euill spirits confesse and fearfully attend a set day of vniuersall Sessions They beleeue lesse then Deuils that either doubt of or denie that day of finall retribution Oh the wonderfull mercie of our God that both to wicked men and spirits respites the vtmost of their torment He might vpon the first instant of the fall of Angels haue inflicted on them the hiest extremitie of his vengeance He might vpon the first sinnes of our youth yea of our nature haue swept vs away and giuen vs our portion in that fierie lake he staies a time for both Though with this difference of mercie to vs men that here not only is a delay but may be an vtter preuention of punishment which to the euill spirits is altogether impossible They doe suffer they must suffer and though they haue now deserued to suffer all they must yet they must once suffer more then they doe Yet so doth this euill spirit expostulate that hesues I beseech thee torment me not The world is well changed since Satans first onset vpon Christ Then he could say If thou be the Sonne of God now Iesus the Sonne of the most hie God then All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me now I beseech thee torment mee not The same power when he lists can change the note of the Tempter to vs How happie are we that haue such a Redeemer as can command the Deuils to their chaines Oh consider this ye lawlesse sinners that haue said Let vs breake his bonds and cast his cords from vs How euer the Almightie suffers you for a iudgement to haue free scope to euill and ye can now impotently resist the reuealed will of your Creator yet the time shall come when ye shall see the very masters whom ye haue serued the powers of darknesse vnable to auoide the reuenges of God How much lesse shall man striue with his Maker man whose breath is in his nosthrills whose house is clay whose foundation is in the dust Nature teaches euery creature to wish a
through the valley of the shadow of death we shall feare no euill Thou ô Lord shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of our enemies and thy right hand shall saue vs. Conflict All this number is not for sight for rest but for motion for action Neither was there euer houre since the first blow giuen to our first parents wherein there was so much as a truce betwixt these aduersaries As therefore strong frontier-Townes when there is a peace concluded on both parts breake vp their garrison open their gates neglect their Bull-warkes but when they heare of the enemie mustering his forces in great and vnequall numbers then they double their guard keepe Sentinell repaire their Sconces so must we vpon the certaine knowledge of our numerous and deadly enemies in continuall aray against vs addresse our selues alwaies to a warie and strong resistance I doe not obserue the most to thinke of this gostly hostilitie Either they do not find there are tentations or those tentations hurtfull they see no worse then themselues and if they feele motions of euill arising in them they impute it to fancie or vnreasonable appetite to no power but natures and those motions they follow without sensible hurt neither see they what harme it is to sinne Is it any maruell that carnall eies cannot discerne spirituall obiects That the world who is the friend the vassall of Satan is in no warre with him Elishaes seruant when his eies were opened saw troupes of spirituall soldiers which before he discerned not If the eies of our soules be once enlightened by supernaturall knowledge and the cleere beames of faith we shall as plainly descrie the inuisible powers of wickednesse as now our bodily eies see heauen and earth They are though we see them not wee cannot be safe from them if we doe not acknowledge not oppose them The Deuils are now become great suitors to Christ That he would not command them into the deepe that he would permit their entrance into the swine What is this deepe but hell both for the vtter separation from the face of God and for the impossibilitie of passage to the region of rest and glory The very euill spirits then feare and expect a further degree of torment they know themselues reserued in those chaines of darknesse for the iudgement of the great day There is the same wages due to their sinnes and to ours neither are the wages paid till the worke be done they tempting men to sinne must needs sinne grieuously in tempting as with vs men those that mislead into sinne offend more then the actors not till the vpshot therefore of their wickednesse shall they receiue the full measure of their condemnation This day this deepe they tremble at what shall I say of those men that feare it not It is hard for men to beleeue their owne vnbeleefe If they were perswaded of this fierie dungeon this bottomlesse deepe wherein euery sinne shall receiue an horrible portion with the damned durst they stretch forth their hands to wickednesse No man will put his hand into a fierie crucible to fetch gold thence because he knowes it will burne him Did we as truly beleeue the euerlasting burning of that infernall fire we durst not offer to fetch pleasures or profits out of the midst of those flames This degree of torment they grant in Christs power to command they knew his power vnresistible had he therefore but said Backe to hell whence ye came they could no more haue staid vpon earth then they can now climbe into heauen O the wonderfull dispensation of the Almightie who though he could command all the euill spirits downe to their dungeons in an instant so as they should haue no more oportunitie of temptation yet thinkes fit to retaine them vpon earth It is not out of weaknesse or improuidence of that diuine hand that wicked spirits tyrannzie here vpon earth but out of the most wise and most holy ordination of God who knowes how to turne euill into good how to fetch good out of euill and by the worst instruments to bring about his most iust decrees Oh that we could adore that awfull and infinite power and cheerefully cast our selues vpon that prouidence which keepes the Keyes euen of hell it selfe and either lets out or returnes the Deuils to their places Their other suit hath some maruell in mouing it more in the grant That they might be suffred to enter into the heard of Swine It was their ambition of some mischiefe that brought forth this desire that since they might not vexe the bodie of the man they might yet afflict men in their goods The malice of these enuious spirits reacheth from vs to ours It is sore against their wills if we be not euery way miserable If the Swine were legally vncleane for the vse of the table yet they were naturally good Had not Satan knowne them vsefull for man he had neuer desired their ruine But as Fencers will seeme to fetch a blow at the legge when they intend it at the head so doth this deuill whiles he driues at the Swine he aimes at the soules of these Gadarens by this meanes he hoped well and his hope was not vaine to worke in these Gergesens a discontentment at Christ an vnwillingnesse to entertaine him a desire of his absence he meant to turne them into Swine by the losse of their Swine It was not the rafters or stones of the house of Iobs children that he bore the grudge to but to the owners nor to the liues of the children so much as the soule of their father There is no affliction wherein he doth not strike at the heart which whiles it holds free all other dammages are light but a wounded spirit whether with sinne or sorrow who can beare What euer becomes of goods or limmes happie are wee if like wise souldiers we gard the vitall parts whiles the soule is kept sound from impatience from distrust our enemy may afflict vs he cannot hurt vs. They sue for a sufference not daring other then to grant that without the permission of Christ they could not hurt a very swine If it be fearfull to thinke how great things euill spirits can doe with permission it is comfortable to thinke how nothing they can doe without permission We know they want not malice to destroy the whole frame of Gods worke but of all man of all men Christians but if without leaue they cannot set vpon an hogge what can they doe to the liuing Images of their Creator They cannot offer vs so much as a suggestion without the permission of our Sauiour And can he that would giue his owne most precious bloud for vs to saue vs from euill wilfully giue vs ouer to euill It is no newes that wicked spirits wish to doe mischiefe it is newes that they are allowed it If the owner of all things should stand vpon his absolute command who can challenge him for what he thinkes fit to
of vpright hearts Gibeon was well worthy to be the chiefe yea the only hie-place There was the allowed Altar of God there was the Tabernacle though as then seuered from the Arke thither did young Salomon goe vp and as desiring to begin his raigne with God there he offers no lesse then a thousand sacrifices Salomon worships God by day God appeares to Salomon by night Well may we looke to enioy God when we haue serued him The night cannot but be happie whose day hath beene holy It was no vnusuall course with God to reueale himselfe vnto his seruants by dreames So did he here to Salomon who saw more with his eies shut then euer they could see open euen him that was inuisible The good King had offered vnto God a thousand burnt-sacrifices and now God offreth him his option Aske what I shall giue thee He whose the beasts are on a thousand mountaines graciously accepts a small returne of his owne It stands not with the munificence of a bountifull God to be indebted to his creature we cannot giue him ought vnrecompensed There is no way wherein we can be so liberall to our selues as by giuing to the possessor of all things And art thou still ô God lesse free vnto vs thy meaner seruants vnder the Gospell Hast thou not said Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name it shall be giuen you Only giue vs grace not to be wanting vnto thee and we know thou canst not suffer any thing to be wanting vnto vs. The night followes the temper of the day and the heart so vseth to sleepe as it wakes Had not the thoughts of Salomon bin intent vpon wisdome by day he had not made it his suit in his dreame There needs no leisure of deliberation The heart was so fore-stalled with the loue and admiration of wisdome that not abiding the least motion of a competition it fastens on that grace it had longed for Giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding hart to iudge thy people Had not Salomon beene wise before hee had not knowne the worth of wisdome he had not preferred it in his desires The dung-hill cocks of the World cannot know the price of this pearle those that haue it know that all other excellencies are but trash and rubbish vnto it Salomon was a great King and saw that he had power enough but withall he found that royalty without wisdome was no other then eminent dishonour There is no trade of life whereto there belongs not a peculiar wisdome without which there is nothing but a tedious vnprofitablenesse much more to the hiest and busiest vocation the regiment of men As God hath no reason to giue his best fauours vnasked so hath he no will to withhold them where they are asked He that in his cradle had the title of Beloued of God is now beloued more in the Throne for the loue and desire of wisdome This soyle could neuer haue borne this fruit alone Salomon could not so much as haue dreamed of wisdome if God had not put it into him and now God takes the suit so well as if hee were beholden to his creature for wishing the best to it selfe and because Salomon hath asked what he should hee shall now receiue both what he asked and what he asked not Riches and honor shall be giuen him in to the match So doth God loue a good choyse that hee recompences it with ouer-giuing Could wee but first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes all these earthly things should be super-added to vs Had Salomon made wealth his boone hee had failed both of riches and wisdome now hee askes the best and speeds of all They are in a faire way of happinesse that can pray well It was no dis-comfort to Salomon that he awaked and found it a dreame for hee knew this dreame was diuine and oracular and he already found in his first waking the reall performance of what was promised him sleeping Such illumination did he sensibly finde in all the roomes of his heart as if God had now giuen him a new soule No maruell if Salomon now returning from the Tabernacle to the Arke testified his ioy and thankfulnesse by burnt-offerings and peace-offerings and publique feastings The heart that hath found in it selfe the liuely testimonies of Gods presence and fauour cannot containe it selfe from outward expressions God likes not to haue his gifts lie dead where he hath confer'd them Israel shall soone witnesse that they haue a King inlightened from heauen in whom wisdome did not stay for heires did not admit of any parallel in his predecessors The all-wise God wil find occasions to draw forth those graces to vse and light which he hath bestowed on man Two Harlots come before young Salomon with a difficult plea It is not like the Princes eare was the first that heard this complaint there was a subordinate course of iustice for the determination of these meaner incidences the hardnes of this decision brought the matter through all the benches of inferiour iudicature to the Tribunall of Salomon The very Israelitish Harlots were not so vnnaturall as some now adayes that counterfait honesty These striue for the fruit of their wombe ours to put them off One sonne is yet aliue two mothers contend for him The children were alike for features for age the mothers were alike for reputation here can be no euidence from others eyes Whethers now is the liuing Childe and whethers is the dead Had Salomon gone about to wring forth the truth by tortures he had perhaps plagued the innocent and added paine to the misery of her losse the weaker had beene guilty and the more able to beare had carried away both the Childe and the victory The countenance of either of the mothers bewraied an equality of passion Sorrow possessed the one for the sonne shee had lost and the other for the sonne shee was in danger to leese Both were equally peremptory and importunate in their claime It is in vaine to think that the true part can be discerned by the vehemence of their challenge Falshood is oft-times more clamorous then truth No witnesses can be produced They two dwelt apart vnder one roofe and if some neighbours haue seene the children at their birth and circumcision yet how little difference how much change is there in the fauour of infants how doth death alter more confirmed lines The impossibility of proofe makes the guilty more confident more impudent the true mother pleads that her childe was taken away at midnight by the other but in her sleepe She saw it not she felt it not and if all her senses could haue witnessed it yet here was but the affirmation of the one against the deniall of the other which in persons alike credible doe but counterpoise What is there now to leade the Iudge since there is nothing either in the act or circumstances or persons or plea or euidence that might sway the sentence Salomon well saw
Sion Neither hammer nor axe was heard in that holy structure There was nothing but noyse in Lebanon nothing in Sion but silence and peace What euer tumults are abroad it is fit there should be all quietnesse sweet concord in the Church Oh God that the axes of schisme or the hammers of furious contentions should be heard within thy Sanctuary Thine house is not built with blowes with blowes it is beaten downe Oh knit the hearts of thy seruants together in the vnity of the spirit and the bond of peace that we may minde and speake the same things that thou who art the God of peace maist take pleasure to dwell vnder the quiet roofe of our hearts Now is the foundation laid and the wals rising of that glorious fabricke which all Nations admired and all times haue celebrated Euen those stones which were laid in the Base of the building were not ragged and rude but hewne and costly the part that lyes couered with earth from the eyes of all beholders is no lesse precious then those that are most conspicuous God is not all for the eye hee pleaseth himselfe with the hidden value of the liuing stones of his spirituall Temple How many noble graces of his feruants haue beene buried in obscurity not discerned so much as by their owne eyes which yet as he gaue so he crowneth Hypocrites regard nothing but shew God nothing but truth The matter of so goodly a frame striues with the proportion whether shall more excell Here was nothing but white Marble without nothing but Cedar and Gold within Vpon the Hill of Sion stands that glittering and snowy pile which both inuiteth and dazeleth the eyes of passengers a farre off so much more precious within as Cedar is better then stone Gold then Cedar No base thing goes to the making vp of Gods house If Satan may haue a dwelling he cares not though he patch it vp of the rubbish of stone or rotten sticks or drosse of mettals God will admit of nothing that is not pure and exquisite His Church consists of none but the faithfull his habitation is in no heart but the gracious The fashion was no other then that of the Tabernacle only this was more costly more large more fixed God was the same that dwelt in both hee varied not the same mystery was in both Onely it was fit there should be a proportion betwixt the worke and the builder The Tabernacle was erected in a popular estate the Temple in a Monarchy it was fit this should fauour of the munificence of a King as that of the zeale of a multitude That was erected in the flitting condition of Israel in the desert this in their setled residence in the promised Land it was fit therefore that should be framed for motion this for rest Both of them were distinguished into three remarkable diuisions whereof each was more noble more reserued then other But what doe we bend our eies vpon stone and wood and mettals God would neuer haue taken pleasure in these dead materials for their owne sakes if they had not had a further intendment Me thinkes I see foure Temples in this one It is but one in matter as the God that dwels in it is but one three yet more in resemblance according to the diuision of them in whom it pleases God to inhabite For where euer God dwels there is his temple Oh God thou vouchsafest to dwell in the beleeuing heart as we thy sillie creatures haue our being in thee so thou the Creator of heauen and earth hast thy dwelling in vs. The heauen of heauens is not able to containe thee and yet thou disdainest not to dwell in the strait lodgings of our renewed soule So then because Gods children are many and those many diuided in respect of themselues though vnited in their head therefore this Temple which is but one in collection as God is one is manifold in the distribution as the Saints are many each man bearing about him a little shrine of this infinite Maiestie And for that the most generall diuision of the Saints is in their place and estate some strugling and toyling in this earthly warfare others triumphing in heauenly glorie therefore hath God two other more vniuersall Temples One the Church of his Saints on earth the other the hiest heauen of his Saints glorified In all these ô God thou dwellest for euer and this materiall house of thine is a cleere representation of these three spirituall Else what were a temple made with hands vnto the God of spirits And tho one of these was a true type of all yet how are they all exceeded each by other This of stone though most rich and costly yet what is it to the liuing Temple of the holy Ghost which is our body What is the Temple of this body of ours to the Temple of Christs body which is his Church And what is the Temple of Gods Church on earth to that which triumpheth gloriously in heauen How easily doe we see all these in this one visible Temple which as it had three distinctions of roomes the Porch the Holy-place the Holy of Holies so is each of them answered spiritually In the porch we finde the regenerate soule entring into the blessed societic of the Church In the holy place the Communion of the true visible Church on earth selected from the world In the holy of holies whereinto the hie-Priest entred once a yeere the glorious heauen into which our true hie-Priest Christ Iesus entred once for all to make an attonement betwixt God and man In all these what a meet correspondence there is both in proportion matter situation In proportion The same rule that skilfull caruers obserue in the dutting out of the perfect statue of a man that the height be thrice the breadth and the breadth one third of the height was likewise dulie obserued in the fabrike of the Temple whose length was double to the height and treble to the breadth as being sixtie cubits long thirtie hie and twentie broad How exquisite a symmetrie hast thou ordained ô God betwixt the faithfull heart and thy Church on earth with that in heauen how accurate in each of these in all their powers and parts compared with other So hath God ordered the beleeuing soule that it hath neither too much shortnesse of grace nor too much height of conceit nor too much breadth of passion So hath he ordered his visible Church that there is a necessarie inequalitie without any disproportion an height of gouernment a length of extent a breadth of iurisdiction duly answerable to each other So hath he ordered his triumphant Church aboue that it hath a length of eternitie answered with an height of perfection and a breadth of incomprehensible glorie In matter All was here of the best The wood was precious sweet lasting The stone beautifull costly insensible of age The gold pure and glittering So are the graces of Gods children excellent in their
lyer The wise Princesse found cause to distrust so vncertaine an informer whose reports are still either doubtfull or fabulous and like windes or streames increase in passing If very great things were not spoken of Salomon fame should haue wrongd him and if but iust rumors were spread of his wisdome there needed much credulitie to beleeue them This great Queene would not suffer her selfe to be lead by the eares but comes in person to examine the truth of forraine relations How much more vnsafe is it in the most important businesses of our soules to trust the opinions and reports of others Those eares and eies are ill bestowed that doe not serue to choose and iudge for their owners When we come to a rich treasure we need not be bidden to carrie away what we are able This wise Lady as she came far for knowledge so finding the plentie of this veine she would not depart without her full lode There was nothing wherein she would leaue her selfe vnsatisfied she knew that she could not euery day meet with a Salomon and therefore shee makes her best vse of so learned a master Now she empties her heart of all her doubts and fils it with instruction It is not good neglecting the oportunities of furnishing our soules with profitable with sauing knowledge There is much wisdome in mouing a question well though there be more in assoyling it What vse doe we make of Salomons teacher if sitting at the feet of Christ we leaue our hearts either ignorant or perplexed As if the errand of this wealthie Queene had beene to buy wisdome she came with her Camels laden with Gold and precious stones and rich odors Though to a mightie King she will not come to schoole emptie-handed If she came to fetch an inualuable treasure she findes it reason to giue thankes vnto him that kept it As he is a foole that hath a price in his hand to get wisdome and wants an heart So is he vnthankfull that hath an heart to get wisdome and hath no price in his hand A price not counteruailable to what he seekes but retributorie to him of whom he seekes How shamefull is it to come alwaies with close hands to them that teach vs the great mysteries of saluation Expectation is no better then a kinde enemy to good deserts Wee leese those obiects which we ouer-looke Many had been admired if they had not beene ouer-much befriended by fame who now in our iudgement are cast as much below their ranke as they were fore-imagined aboue it This disaduantage had wife Salomon with this stranger whom rumour had bid to look for incredible excellencies yet so wonderfull were the graces of Salomon that they ouercame the hiest expectation and the liberallest beleefe So as when shee saw the architecture of his buildings the prouisions of his tables the order of his attendants the religion of his sacrifices shee confessed both her iniust incredulity in not beleeuing the report of his wisdome and the iniury of report in vnderrating it I beleeued not the words till I came and mine eyes had seene it and loe the one halfe was not told mee Her eyes were more sure informers then her eares She did not so much heare as see Salomons wisdome in these reall effects His answers did not so much demonstrate it as his prudent gouernment There are some whose speeches are witty whiles their carriage is weake whose deeds are incongruities whiles their words are Apothegmes It is not worth the name of wisdome that may be heard onely and not seene Good discourse is but the froth of wisdome the pure and solid substance of it is in well-framed actions if wee know these things happy are we if we doe them And if this great person admired the wisdome the buildings the domesticke order of Salomon and chiefly his stately ascent into the House of the Lord how should our soules be taken vp with wonder at thee O thou true sonne of Dauid and Prince of euer-lasting peace who receiuedst the spirit not by measure who hast built this glorious house not made with hands euen the heauen of heauens whose infinite prouidence hath sweetly disposed of all the family of thy creatures both in heauen and earth and who lastly didst ascend vp on hie and ledst captiuity captiue and gauest gifts to men So well had this studious Lady profited by the Lectures of that exquisite Master that now shee enuies shee magnifies none but them who may liue within the ayre of Salomons wisdome Happy are thy men and happy are thy seruants which stand continually before thee and that heare thy wisdome As if she could haue beene content to haue changed her Throne for the foot-stoole of Salomon It is not easie to conceiue how great a blessing it is to liue vnder those lips which doe both preserue knowledge and vtter it If wee were not glutted with good counsell we should finde no relish in any worldly contentment in comparison hereof But hee that is full despiseth an hony-combe Shee whom her owne experience had taught how happy a thing it is to haue a skilfull Pilote sitting at the sterne of the State blesseth Israel for Salomon blesseth God for Israel blesseth Salomon and Israel mutually in each-other Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel Because the Lord loued Israel for euer therefore made hee the King to doe judgement and justice It was not more Salomons aduancement to be King of Israel then it was the aduancement of Israel to be gouerned by a Salomon There is no earthly proofe of Gods loue to any Nation comparable to the substitution of a wise and pious gouernour to him wee owe our peace our life and which is deseruedly dearer the life of our soules the Gospell But oh God how much hast thou loued thine Israel for euer in that thou hast set ouer it that righteous Branch of Iesse whose name is Wonderfull Counsellor the mightie God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace in whose dayes Iudah shall be saued and Israel shall dwell safely Sing O heauen and reioyce O earth and breake forth into singing O mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will haue euerlasting mercie vpon his afflicted The Queene of Sheba did not bring her gold and precious stones to looke on or to re-carry but to giue to a wealthier then her selfe Shee giues therefore to Salomon an hundred and twenty talents of Gold besides costly stones and odors He that made siluer in Hierusalem as stones is yet richly presented on all hands The riuers still runne into the Sea To him that hath shall be giuen How should wee bring vnto thee O thou King of Heauen the purest gold of thine owne graces the sweetest odors of our obediences Was not this withall a type of that homage which should be done vnto thee O Sauiour by the heads of the Nations The Kings of Tarshish and the Iles bring presents the
Kings of Sheba and Saba bring gifts yea all Kings shall worship thee all Nations shall serue thee They cannot inrich themselues but by giuing vnto thee It could not stand with Salomons magnificence to receiue rich curtesies without a returne The greater the person was the greater was the obligation of requitall The gifts of meane persons are taken but as tributes of dutie it is dishonourable to take from equalls and not to retribute There was not therefore more freedome in her gift then in her receit Her owne will was the measure of both She gaue what she would she receiued what soeuer she would aske And she had little profited by Salomons schoole if she had not learned to aske the best She returnes therefore more richly laden then she came she gaue to Salomon as a thankfull Client of wisdome Salomon returnes to her as a munificent Patrone according to the liberalitie of a King We shall be sure to be gainers by whatsoeuer we giue vnto thee ô thou God of wisdome and peace Oh that we could come from the remote regions of our infidelitie and worldlinesse to learne wisdome of thee who both teachest and giuest it abundantly without vpbraiding without grudging and could bring with vs the poore presents of our faithfull desires and sincere seruices how wouldst thou receiue vs with a gracious acceptation and sends vs away laden with present comfort with eternall glorie Salomons defection SInce the first man Adam the world hath not yeelded either so great an example of wisdome or so fearefull an example of Apostasie as Salomon What humane knowledge Adam had in the perfection of nature by creation Salomon had by infusion both fully both from one fountaine If Adam called all creatures by their names Salomon spake from the Cedars of Lebanon to the mosse that springs out of the wall and besides these vegetables there was no Beast nor Fowle nor Fish nor creeping thing that escaped his discourse Both fell both fell by one meanes as Adam so might Salomon haue said The woman deceiued mee It is true indeed that Adam fell as all Salomon as one yet so as that this one is the patterne of the frailty of all If knowledge could haue giuen an immunity from sinne both had stood Affections are those feet of the soule on which it either stands or fals Salomon loued many out-landish women I wonder not if the wise King mis-carried Euery word hath bane enough for a man Women many women out-landish idolatrous and those not onely had but doted on Sexe multitude nation condition all conspired to the ruine of a Salomon If one woman vndid all mankind what maruell is it if many women vndid one yet had those many bin the daughters of Israel they had tempted him onely to lust not to mis-deuotion now they were of those Nations whereof the Lord had said to the children of Israel Goe not yee in to them nor let them come in to you for surely they will turne your hearts after their Gods to them did Salomon ioyne in loue who can maruell if they disioyned his heart from God Satan hath found this bait to take so well that he neuer changed it since he crept into Paradise How many haue wee knowne whose heads haue bin broken with their owne ribbe In the first world the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men and tooke them wiues of all they liked they multiplied not children but iniquities Balaam knew well if the dames of Moab could make the Israelites wantons they should soone make them Idolaters All lies open where the couenant is not both made with the eye and kept It was the charge of God to the Kings of Israel before they were that they should not multiply Wiues Salomon hath gone beyond the stakes of the law and now is ready to leese himselfe amongst a thousand bed-fellowes Who so laies the reines in the necke of his carnall appetite cannot promise where he will rest Oh Salomon where was thy wisdome whiles thine affections run away with thee into so wilde a voluptuousnes What bootes it thee to discourse of all things whiles thou misknowest thy selfe The perfections of speculation doe not argue the inward powers of selfe-gouernment The eye may be cleare whiles the hand is palsied It is not so much to be heeded how the soule is informed as how it is disciplined The light of knowledge doth well but the due order of the affections doth better Neuer any meere man since the first knew so much as Salomon many that haue knowne lesse haue had more command of themselues A competent estate well husbanded is better then a vast patrimony neglected There can be no safety to that soule where is not a strait curbe vpon our desires If our lusts be not held vnder as slaues they will rule as tyrans Nothing can preuent the extremity of our mis-carriage but early and strong denials to our concupiscence Had Salomon done thus delicacie and lawlesse greatnesse had not led him into these bogs of intemperance The waies of youth are steep and slipperie wherein as it is easie to fall so it is commonly releeued with pittie but the wanton inordinations of age are not more vnseasonable then odious yet behold Salomons younger yeeres were studious and innocent his ouer-hastened age was licentious and misgouerned For when Salomon was old his wiues turned away his heart after other Gods If any age can secure vs from the danger of a spirituall fall it is our last and if any mans old-age might secure him it was Salomons the beloued of God the Oracle the miracle of wisdome who would haue looked but that the blossoms of so hopefull a spring should haue yeelded a goodly and pleasant fruit in the Autumne of age yet behold euen Salomons old age vicious There is no time wherein we can be safe whiles we carrie this body of sinne about vs Youth is impetuous mid-age stubborne old age weake all dangerous Say not now The furie of my youthfull flashes is ouer I shall henceforth finde my heart calme and impregnable whiles thou seest old Salomon doting vpon his concubines yea vpon their Idolatrie It is no presuming vpon time or meanes or strength how many haue begun and proceeded well who yet haue shamed themselues in their last stage If God vphold vs not we cannot stand If God vphold vs we cannot fall when we are at our strongest it is best to be weake in our selues and when at our weakest strong in him in whom we can doe all things I cannot yet thinke so hardly of Salomon that he would proiect his person to Ashtaroth the Goddesse of the Sidonians or Milchom the Idoll of the Ammonites or Chemosh the abomination of Moab He that knew all things from the shrub to the Cedar could not be ignorant that these statues were but stocks or stones or mettals and the powers resembled by them Deuils It is not like he could be so insensate to adore such deities but so
farre was the vxorious King blinded with affection that he gaue not passage only to the Idolatrie of his heathenish wiues but furtherance So did he dote vpon their persons that he humord them in their sins Their act is therefore his because his eies winkt at it his hand aduanced it He that built a Temple to the liuing God for himselfe and Israel in Sion built a Temple to Chemosh in the mount of Scandall for his mistresses of Moab in the very face of Gods house No hill about Ierusalem was free from a Chappell of Deuils Each of his dames had their Puppets their altars their incense Because Salomon feedes them in their superstition he drawes the sinne home to himselfe and is branded for what he should haue forbidden Euen our very permission appropriates crimes to vs We need no more guiltinesse of any sinne then our willing toleration Who can but yearne and feare to see the wofull wracke of so rich and goodly a vessell O Salomon wert not thou he whose younger yeeres God honoured with a message and stile of loue To whom God twice appeared and in a gracious vision renewed the couenant of his fauour Whom he singled out from all the generation of men to be the founder of that glorious Temple which was no lesse cleerely the Type of heauen then thou wert of Christ the Sonne of the euerliuing God Wert not thou that deepe Sea of wisdome which God ordained to send forth riuers and fountaines of all diuine and humane knowledge to all nations to all ages Wert not thou one of those select Secretaries whose hand it pleased the Almightie to employ in three peeces of the diuine monuments of sacred Scriptures Which of vs dares euer hope to aspire vnto thy graces Which of vs can promise to secure our selues from thy ruines We fall ô God we fall to the lowest hell if thou preuent vs not if thou sustaine vs not Vphold thou me according to thy word that I may liue and let me not be ashamed of my hope Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquitie haue dominion ouer me All our weaknesse is in our selues all our strength is in thee O God be thou strong in our weaknesse that our weake knees may be euer steddie in thy strength But in the midst of the horror of this spectacle able to affright all the sonnes of men behold some glimpse of comfort was it of Salomon that Dauid his father prophesied Though he fall he shall not be vtterly cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand If sensible grace yet finall mercy was not taken from that beloued of God In the hardest of this winter the sappe was gone downe to the root though it shewed not in the branches Euen whiles Salomon remoued that word stood fast He shall be my Sonne and I will be his Father He that foresaw his sinne threatned and limited his correction If he breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visit his transgression with a rodde and his iniquitie with stripes Neuerthelesse my louing kindnesse will I not vtterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile My Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Behold the fauour of God doth not depend vpon Salomons obedience If Salomon shall suffer his faithfulnesse to faile towards his God God will not requite him with the failing of his faithfulnesse to Salomon If Salomon breake his couenant with God God will not breake his Couenant with the father of Salomon with the Sonne of Dauid He shall smart he shall not perish Oh gracious word of the God of all mercies able to giue strength to the languishing comfort to the despairing to the dying life Whatsoeuer wee are thou wilt be still thy selfe O holy one of Israel true to thy Couenant constant to thy Decree The sinnes of thy chosen can neither frustrate thy counsell nor out-strip thy mercies Now I see Salomon of a wanton louer a graue Preacher of mortification I see him quenching those inordinate flames with the teares of his repentance Me thinkes I heare him sighing deeply betwixt euery word of that his solemne penance which he would needs inioyne himselfe before all the world I haue applied my heart to know the wickednesse of folly euen the foolishnesse of madnesse and I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands Who so pleaseth God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Salomon was taken as a sinner deliuered as a penitent His soule escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare was broken and he deliuered It is good for vs that he was both taken and deliuered Taken that wee might not presume and that we might not despaire deliuered He sinned that we might not sinne he recouered that we may not sinke vnder our sinne But oh the iustice of God inseparable from his mercie Salomons sinne shall not escape the rod of men Rather then so wise an offender shall want enemies God shall raise vp three aduersaries vnto Salomon Hadad the Edomite Rezon the King of Aram Ieroboam the son of Nebat whereof two were forraine one domesticall Nothing but loue and peace sounded in the name of Salomon nothing else was found in his raigne whiles he held in good termes with his God But when once he fell foule with his maker all things began to be troubled There are whips laid vp against the time of Salomons fore-seene offence which are now brought forth for his correction On purpose was Hadad the sonne of the King of Edom hid in a corner of Egypt from the sword of Dauid and Ioab that he might be reserued for a scourge to the exorbitant sonne of Dauid God would haue vs make account that our peace ends with our innocence The same sinne that sets debate betwixt God and vs armes the creatures against vs It were pittie we should be at any quiet whiles we are falne out with the God of peace Contemplations VPON THE PRINCIPALL HISTORIES OF THE NEVV TESTAMENT The third Booke Containing The Widowes sonne raised The Rulers sonne healed The dumbe Deuill eiected Matthew called Christ among the Gergesens or Legion and the Gadarene heard TO MY RIGHT WORTHY AND WORSHIPFVLL FRIEND Master IOHN GIFFORD of Lancrasse in Deuon Esquire All Grace and Peace SIR I hold it as I ought one of the rich mercies of GOD that he hath giuen me fauour in some eies which haue not seene me but none that I know hath so much demerited me vnknowne as your worthy Familie Ere therefore you see my face see my hand willingly professing my thankfull Obligations Wherewith may it please you to accept of this parcell of thoughts not vnlike those fellowes of theirs whom you haue entertained aboue their desert These shall present vnto you our bountifull Sauiour magnifying his mercies to men in a
power can raise one but that which is infinite and that which is infinite admits of no limitation Vnder the old Testament God raised one by Elias another by Elisha liuing a third by Elisha dead By the hand of the Mediator of the new Testament he raised here the sonne of the widow the daughter of Iairus Lazarus and in attendance of his owne resurrection he made a gaole-deliuery of holy prisoners at Ierusalem He raises the daughter of Iairus from her bed this widowes sonne from his coffin Lazarus from his graue the dead saints of Ierusalem from their rottennesse that it might appeare no degree of death can hinder the efficacie of his ouer-ruling command He that keepes the keyes of death cannot only make way for himselfe through the common hall and outer-roomes but through the inwardest and most reserued closets of darknesse Me thinkes I see this young man who was thus miraculously awaked from his deadly sleepe wiping and rubbing those eies that had beene shut vp in death and descending from the Beere wrapping his winding sheet about his loines cast himselfe downe in a passionate thankfulnesse at the feet of his Almightie restorer adoring that diuine power which had commanded his soule backe againe to her forsaken lodging and though I heare not what he said yet I dare say they were words of praise and wonder which his returned soule first vttered It was the mother whom our Sauiour pittied in this act not the sonne who now forced from his quiet rest must twice passe through the gates of death As for her sake therefore he was raised so to her hands was he deliuered that she might acknowledge that soule giuen to her not to the possessor Who cannot feele the amazement and extasie of ioy that was in this reuiued mother when her sonne now salutes her from out of another world And both receiues and giues gratulations of his new life How suddenly were al the tears of that mournfull traine dried vp with a ioyfull astonishment How soone is that funerall banquet turned into a new Birth-day feast What striuing was here to salute the late carcasse of their returned neighbour What awfull and admiring lookes were cast vpon that Lord of life who seeming homely was approued omnipotent How gladly did euery tongue celebrate both the worke and the author A great Prophet is raised vp amongst vs and God hath visited his people A Prophet was the hiest name they could finde for him whom they saw like themselues in shape aboue themselues in power They were not yet acquainted with God manifested in the flesh This miracle might well haue assured them of more then a Prophet but he that raised the dead man from the Beere would not suddenly raise these dead hearts from the graue of Infidelitie they shall see reason enough to know that the Prophet who was raised vp to them was the God that now visited them and at last should doe as much for them as he had done for the young man raise them from death to life from dust to glorie The Rulers Sonne Cured THE bountie of God so exceedeth mans that there is a contrarietie in the exercise of it We shut our hands because we haue opened them God therefore opens his because he hath opened them Gods mercies are as comfortable in their issue as in themselues Seldome euer doe blessings goe alone where our Sauiour supplied the Bridegroomes wine there he heales the Rulers son He had not in all these coasts of Galilee done any one miracle but here To him that hath shall be giuen We doe not finde Christ oft attended with Nobilitie here he is It was some great Peere or some noted Courtier that was now a suitor to him for his dying sonne Earthly greatnesse is no defence against afflictions We men forbeare the mightie Disease and death know no faces of Lords or Monarkes Could these be bribed they would be too rich why should we grudge not to be priueledged when we see there is no spare of the greatest This noble Ruler listens after Christs returne into Galile The most eminent amongst men will be glad to harken after Christ in their necessitie Happie was it for him that his sonne was sicke he had not else beene acquainted with his Sauiour his soule had continued sicke of ignorance and vnbeleefe Why else doth our good God send vs paine losses opposition but that hee may bee sought to Are we afflicted whither should we goe but to Cana to seeke Christ whither but to the Cana of heauen where our water of sorrow is turned to the wine of gladnesse to that omnipotent Physitian who healeth all our infirmities that we may once say It is good for me that I was afflicted It was about a daies iourney from Capernaum to Cana Thence hither did this Courtier come for the cure of his sonnes feuer What paines euen the greatest can be content to take for bodily health No way is long no labour tedious to the desirous Our soules are sicke of a spirituall feuer labouring vnder the cold fit of infidelitie and the hote fit of selfe-loue and we sit still at home and see them languish vnto death This Ruler was neither faithlesse nor faithfull Had he beene quite faithlesse he had not taken such paines to come to Christ. Had he beene faithfull he had not made this suit to Christ when he was come Come downe and heale my sonne ere he die Come downe as if Christ could not haue cured him absent Ere he die as if that power could not haue raised him being dead how much difference was here betwixt the Centurion and the Ruler That came for his seruant this for his sonne This sonne was not more aboue that seruant then the faith which sued for the seruant surpassed that which sued for the sonne The one can say Master come not vnder my roofe for I am not worthy only speake the word and my seruant shall be whole The other can say Master either come vnder my roofe or my sonne cannot be whole Heale my sonne had beene a good suit for Christ is the only Physitian for all diseases but Come downe and heale him was to teach God how to worke It is good reason that he should challenge the right of prescribing to vs who are euery way his owne it is presumption in vs to stint him vnto our formes An expert workman cannot abide to be taught by a nouice how much lesse shall the all-wise God indure to be directed by his creature This is more then if the patient should take vpon him to giue a Recipe to the Physitian That God would giue vs grace is a beseeming suit but to say Giue it me by prosperitie is a saucie motion As there is faithfulnesse in desiring the end so modestie and patience in referring the meanes to the author In spirituall things God hath acquainted vs with the meanes whereby he will worke euen his owne sacred ordinances Vpon thâ—se because they haue his
vpon thy feet nor the Cananite crying to thee in the way not the blushing adulteresse nor the odious Publican nor the forswearing Disciple nor the persecutor of Disciples nor thine owne executioners how can we be vnwelcome to thee if we come with teares in our eies faith in our hearts restitution in our hands Oh Sauiour our brests are too oft shut vpon thee thy bosome is euer open to vs we are as great sinners as the consorts of these Publicans why should we despaire of a roome at thy Table The squint-eid Pharisees look a-crosse at all the actions of Christ where they should haue admired his mercie they cauill at his holinesse They said to his Disciples why eateth your master with Publicans and sinners They durst not say thus to the Master whose answer they knew would soone haue conuinced them This winde they hoped might shake the weake faith of the Disciples They speake where they may be most likely to hurt All the crue of Satanicall instruments haue learnt this craft of their old Tutor in Paradise Wee cannot reuerence that man whom we thinke vnholy Christ had lost the hearts of his followers if they had entertained the least suspicion of his impuritie which the murmur of these enuious Pharisees would faine insinuate He cannot be worthy to be followed that is vncleane He cannot but be vncleane that eateth with Publicans and sinners Proud and foolish Pharisees ye fast whiles Christ eateth ye fast in your houses whiles Christ eateth in other mens ye fast with your owne whiles Christ feasts with sinners but if ye fast in pride whiles Christ eats in humilitie if ye fast at home for merit or popularitie whiles Christ feasts with sinners for compassion for edification for conuersion your fast is vncleane his feast is holy ye shall haue your portion with hypocrites when those Publicans and sinners shall be glorious When these censurers thought the Disciples had offended they speake not to them but to their Master Why doe thy Disciples that which is not lawfull now when they thought Christ offended they speake not to him but to the Disciples Thus like true make-bates they goe about to make a breach in the familie of Christ by setting off the one from the other The quicke cie of our Sauiour hath soone espied the packe of their fraud and therefore he takes the words out of the mouthes of his Disciples into his owne They had spoke of Christ to the Disciples Christ answers for the Disciples concerning himselfe The whole need not the Physitian but the sicke According to the two qualities of pride scorne and ouer-weening these insolent Pharisees ouer-rated their owne holinesse contemned the noted vnholinesse of others As if themselues were not tainted with secret sinnes as if others could not be cleansed by repentance The searcher of hearts meets with their arrogance and findes those iusticiaries sinfull those sinners iust The spirituall Physitian findes the sicknesse of those sinners wholsome the health of those Pharisees desperate that wholsome because it calls for the helpe of the Physitian this desperate because it needs not Euery soule is sicke those most that feele it not Those that feele it complaine those that complaine haue cure those that feele it not shall finde themselues dying ere they can wish to recouer Oh blessed Physitian by whose stripes we are healed by whose death we liue happie are they that are vnder thy hands sicke as of sin so of sorrow for sin it is as vnpossible they should die as it is vnpossible for thee to want either skill or power or mercy Sin hath made vs sicke vnto death make thou vs but as sicke of our sinnes we are as safe as thou art gracious Christ among the Gergesens or Legion and the Gadarene heard I Doe not any where finde so furious a Demoniacke as amongst the Gergesens Satan is most tyrannous where he is obeyed most Christ no sooner sailed ouer the lake then he was met with two possessed Gadarenes The extreme rage of the one hath drowned the mention of the other Yet in the midst of all that crueltie of the euill spirit there was sometimes a remission if not an intermission of vexation If Oft-times Satan caught him then sometimes in the same violence he caught him not It was no thanke to that malignant one who as he was indefatigable in his executions so vnmeasurable in his malice but to the mercifull ouer-ruling of God who in a gratious respect to the weaknesse of his poore creatures limits the spightfull attempts of that immortall enemie and takes off this Mastiue whiles we may take breath Hee who in his iustice giues way to some onsets of Satan in his mercie restraines them so regarding our deseruings that withall he regards our strength If way should be giuen to that malicious spirit we could not subsist no violent thing can indure and if Satan might haue his will we should no moment be free He can be no more weary of doing euill to vs then God is of doing good Are we therefore preserued from the malignitie of these powers of darknesse Blessed be our strong helper that hath not giuen vs ouer to be a prey vnto their teeth Or if some scope haue beene giuen to that enuious one to afflict vs hath it beene with fauourable limitations it is thine only mercy ô God that hath chained and muzzled vp this band-dog so as that he may scratch vs with his pawes but cannot pierce vs with his fangs Farre far is this from our deserts who had too well merited a iust abdication from thy fauour and protection and an interminable seisure by Satan both in soule and bodie Neither doe I here see more matter of thankes to our God for our immunitie from the externall iniuries of Satan then occasion of serious inquirie into his power ouer vs for the spirituall I see some that thinke themselues safe from this ghostly tyrannie because they sometimes finde themselues in good moods free from the suggestions of grosse sins much more from the commission Vaine men that feed themselues with so false and friuolous comforts will they not see Satan through the iust permission of God the same to the soule in mentall possessions that he is to the body in corporall The worst demoniack hath his lightsome respites not euer tortured not euer furious betwixt whiles he might looke soberly talke sensibly moue regularly It is a wofull comfort that we sinne not alwaies There is no master so barbarous as to require of his slaue a perpetuall vnintermitted toyle yet though he sometimes eate sleepe rest he is a vassall still If that wicked one haue drawne vs to a customarie perpetration of euill and haue wrought vs to a frequent iteration of the same sinne this is gage enough for our seruitude matter enough for his tyrannie and insultation He that would be our tormentor alwaies cares only to be sometimes our Tempter The possessed is bound as with the inuisible fetters